Accidentally Magical
by RockyD
Summary: When Willow's progress comes to a sudden halt, Giles reconnects with a world he'd long since cut ties with. The result is something none of the Scoobies expected, but which will effect Xander's life profoundly.
1. With All Potential

**Accidentally Magical, or**

**Xander Harris and the Brand New Start**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Category: B:TVS / HP Crossover

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss  
Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Pairings: X/Hr

Summary: When Willow's progress comes to a sudden halt, Giles reconnects with a world he'd long since cut ties with. The result is something none of the Scoobies expected, but which will effect one of their lives profoundly.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: After almost 7 solid years of writer's block, another fandom has rekindled my spark... sort of. One day this summer (08) I got the strange idea to merge the two biggest fandoms I'd been a part of, using two of my favorite characters and this is the result... it's still going and the ideas keep coming. Hopefully I can do them justice. Okay, long enough rant... on with the show!

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated.

**Chapter One: With All Potential**

"Is there something wrong with me, Giles?" Willow asked pathetically. Her shoulders were slumped and she was staring a hole in the carpet she was sitting on. She was seated in the center of an ornate ritual circle, complete with candles and the scent of incense in the air.

Giles softened as his young charge finally lifted her eyes to look at him with a look of self-disappointment, "Of course not, Willow." The truth was, he had no idea if there was anything wrong with her or not, but to say so would have been extremely unwise. Even with the latest difficulties, a very powerful witch sat before him, and upsetting her could have dire consequences.

"Then why can't I do this? I've been able to do everything else!" Willow's shoulders sagged still further, while her body still held the lotus position.

Giles carefully thought over his response. He had to word it carefully, but he knew it wouldn't do to keep lying to her either. He had to research before he could come to a definite conclusion, "I need to research this before I come to any definite conclusion, Willow."

Willow couldn't help the quirk in her eyebrow and the smirk on her face, "You just quoted the exact phrase that passed through your head, didn't you?"

Giles looked affronted, "I'll have you know, Willow, that there were at least three words different between the two."

"Pronouns don't count, Giles." She responded triumphantly, as he let out an audible huff.

He just glared at her momentarily, before coming back to himself, "The point, Willow, is that I won't know if anything is even wrong until I look into the matter. It could simply be a matter of practice. No one gets everything on the first try."

She stopped picking at a loose thread on the carpet to look at him dubiously, "And what about the twelfth time?"

Giles sighed and gave her a concerned glance, "Please just relax, Willow. I will consult my books and find out what is going on." And consult his books he did. Willow had been having this problem in recent weeks, being unable to summon the required power to perform the more complicated magics she had been advancing towards, and he just didn't understand why. It appeared she had reached some sort of power plateau, where her abilities didn't seem to advance in any noticeable fashion.

Unlike with floating pencils and other mundane magical feats, where the ability was clearly shown to grow as increased control was displayed, this recent void was very troubling.

On the surface, it appeared that Willow had simply reached the limits of her magical abilities. However, he believed this to be unlikely, as he'd known her to display startling feats of magic when put under stress. The spell to restore Angel's soul to his body was a tricky affair when in the hands of the trained witch like Miss Calendar. Willow, with cursory help from Cordelia and Oz, managed it with an ease which had left him stunned.

So why now, did a ceiling seem to be placed upon that power? He had several theories, but only one that he had the means to test. Reluctantly, he proceeded up the stairs to his bedroom. He stood before his dresser and carefully opened the topmost drawer. Pulling a stack of dress shirts and a series of ledgers out of the drawer, he observed a slender box about a foot long.

He removed the box and replaced the other items before sliding the drawer shut. He stared at the container for what seemed forever. He moved it back and forth in his hand, catching the light from the nearby window on an inscription across the broad face of the box itself. The words jumped out at him, bringing him back to a time he'd just as soon forget... _Janna Kalderash_

The disc which held the translated ritual to restore Angel's soul wasn't the only thing to survive the fire in Ms. Calendar's office. Hidden away in a filing cabinet, away from prying eyes but easily within reach. He cautiously pulled the engraved cover off the box to reveal a custom-fitted lining which held a long, wooden cylinder with intricate designs meticulously painted on it.

To the casual observer, it would appear to be nothing more than an ornamental toy or craft project. The designs did give it the look of something a little girl would have her father make so she could then paint it up to match whatever struck her fancy. However, the casual observer would be dead wrong in their estimation of the triviality of the item.

He gingerly pulled the object from it's housing and rolled it between his fingers, giving it an examination worthy of a piece of art. Because that's what it was to him, first and foremost. A beautifully crafted work that had every nuance of it's previous owner.

He quickly reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, not to alleviate some sort of pressure in his sinuses, but to stave off fresh tears for a lover long gone but never forgotten.

When he'd regained himself, he once again looked upon the object in his hands. He held before him the wand of Ms. Jenny Calendar, descendant of the Kalderash clan, and fully qualified witch. Perhaps this was what Willow needed to lift her above the plateau she'd landed upon, and perhaps something just like this would help save them all when the time came. But first, he would have to test his theory. With the same reverence he used in removing the wand from it's case, he replaced it and put it back in the drawer.

Later that afternoon, when Willow came to his apartment as requested, Giles told her they were going to begin a very special training session.

She immediately looked hopeful, as she performed stretches to prepare herself, "Have you figured out why I'm having trouble?"

He had to fight the smile her youthful exuberance always brought, as he lit candles throughout the room, "I have a theory, at the very least. So, please, finish your preparations."

Willow did just that, quickly assuming the familiar meditation pose and regulating her breathing. While she did that, he once again trekked upstairs and retrieved Jenny's wand from his drawer. When he returned she had centered herself, so he placed an ordinary matchstick in front of her and waited for her to open her eyes.

"A matchstick?" Her eyes widened and she looked to him for instruction, "Does that mean what I think it means?"

He cautiously held his hands behind him, holding the wand out of her line of sight as he nodded, "Yes, Willow. Today we're going to try one of the subjects you seem to have the most difficulty with. You are going to try to change this matchstick into a needle."

She squeaked, "Transfiguration? But Giles, I've never been able to do _anything_ with the matchstick. I couldn't even make it shiny." Her self-doubt was evident.

"I am aware of that, Willow, but this will provide a sufficient experiment for my current theory. Now, so far in your studies, we've been using the same methods and practices I myself have used in magical training. However, it is not the only technique which can be used. I've used this method simply because I myself have not had proper access to any others, including the primary one." He paused as he saw questions brimming in her eyes, "Please do not ask about that at this time, I will explain it when I am ready.

"I am about to lend you a very powerful focusing tool. I implore you to be extremely cautious with it, as it belonged to a very dear friend of mine and I would be loathe to see anything happen to it. Now, the important thing to remember is that this method is not that different from how you've been learning already.

"The major difference is the use of the focusing tool itself. It can help tremendously towards directing your power in a way that is quite difficult without. With it, your preparations are almost minimal and unnecessary, but those are still valuable techniques to practice as they have practical benefits in regards to focus."

She was watching him eagerly, and he could tell she'd already figured out he was holding something behind his back. So without any further ado, he unclenched his hands and pulled them around the front. He saw immediately that her eyes bugged out seeing what was in his hand, "A wand? An actual wand?!" She was hopping up and down with her legs still crossed in the lotus position, and he once again had to fight a smile.

"Yes, Willow, a real life wand. This wand is a traditional magical implement that channels a caster's magic into a focused pathway, and helps them use magic far more efficiently than without. This allows for spells of enormous power and usefulness. The wand allows ready access to a wide range of incantations which a fraction of the usual concentration. That is not to say it is effortless, but the most difficult part of the process is learning the incantations and wand movements, as well as the theory behind the magic. Once you have grasped these concepts, the casting itself becomes easier and easier with each use."

The question left her mouth before she could stop it, "Why couldn't you teach me like this before?"

He could hear a hint of frustration in her voice, no doubt related to the somewhat daunting methods they had been using up until now. He knew the practice of wandless magic was often trying and nowhere near as effective as magic with a wand, but he simply had to work with what he knew. He sighed resignedly and answered her delicately, "Because, as I said, Willow, it isn't the technique I myself learned the majority of my magic with. I could not teach you how to use a wand, because I never fully learned how to myself. I don't even have a wand of my own, this one belonged to someone else.

"In addition, you were progressing in the ways of magic without guidance, which is a dangerous practice... I know that from experience. It was a choice between teaching you what I knew and hopefully imbuing you with a sense of responsibility and discipline, or letting you run wild and find out the hard way that magic is not something to trifle with. I simply could not take the chance that you would luck into it.

"It seems now that you may have reached the limit of your potential in wandless magic. If this is the case, the only option available that does not involve even more dedication and preparation before hand, is to attempt to ascertain if you have the ability to use a wand at all.

He paused and showed the wand off to her, and he noted with amusement that her eyes followed it as if attached, "I warn you, beforehand, that a wand is typically suited to one user, and each person should have their own. However, that does not mean that another person's wand will not work for others at all. You may be able to perform simple spells with virtually anyone's... but for the best result, you'll need to visit with a wandmaker and find the best wand suited to you.

"If you happen to be able to perform an incantation with Je... with this wand, I will then contact such a wandmaker and arrange for you to be fitted for a wand." He cautiously handed her Jenny's wand, and thankfully saw she handled it as delicately as he hoped, "Now, I want you to follow along with the movement of my index finger with the wand, focus on the matchstick becoming a needle, and incant _Resverto_while pointing it at the match. We'll see if you can use a wand to further your training."

Willow looked surprised at the brevity of the incantation, she looked at Giles dubiously and asked, "That's it? I just think about the matchstick becoming a needle and say _Resverto_?" As she said this she copied the wand movements he'd shown, and to their surprise, the matchstick changed just enough to appear made of silvery metal.

Giles couldn't hide the shock in his voice, "Well... I believe that answers our question. That should be enough for today, Willow. I'll let you know when I've gotten in contact with the wandmaker. I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from anyone." He quietly stuck out his hand, and Willow immediately handed him back the wand, "Oh, and if you'd like you can keep that as a souvenir." She beamed as she picked up the metallic matchstick and happily headed out the door babbling about how cool it will be to show to her friends.

Giles went back up to his bedroom, quickly approaching his dresser. He first put Jenny's wand away and then returned to his desk downstairs. He opened the lower right hand drawer pulled a box out, this one quite a bit larger than the wand box but still relatively small. He pulled it open and removed a small jar with a cork in his mouth, a long feather, and a few rolls of aged paper. He uncorked the jar, dipped the feather in it, and silently began writing on the paper.

The only noise in the room was the scratching of what was obviously a quill on the parchment. After several minutes, he reread his message and nodded in satisfaction. He was reconnecting with a world he'd seldom contacted in the last twenty years, and a sense of trepidation came over him. He didn't let it overtake him, as he had much to do, "Now, to find an owl..."


	2. You've Got Mail

**Accidentally Magical, or**

**Xander Harris and the Brand New Start**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss  
Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Author's Note: I will hopefully be adding a chapter here every few days. This is the first part of what my brain is telling me could be at least a trilogy, so it should keep me busy for the next good while.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated.

**Chapter Two: You've Got Mail**

It took a little over a week for the reply to return to him. In the meantime, he had allowed Willow to practice a few simple spells with the wand, although never for very long. However, the short time she was given seemed more than enough, and her enthusiasm for magic seemed to return with a vengeance.

Buffy and Xander seemed glad to have their friend out of the funk she had sunk into with the slowing of her magical advancement, and continued to encourage her. He had to admire their loyalty and compassion in that respect, even if he wasn't overly fond of some of the wisecracking comments Xander expressed.

The tapping on his sitting room window was the indicator he was expecting, and the ordinary looking owl peeked at him through the glass expectantly. He opened the window and allowed the owl to enter his home. Expecting this visit all week, he was prepared with a water dish as well as a few treats for the undoubtedly tired bird. Even after it was finished drinking and eating it remained, so he assumed the letter would require a response of some sort.

He deliberated for quite a while about what he would find inside. He knew his standing in the wizarding community was not exactly surefooted. He wouldn't be surprised in the least if the letter was an outright refusal, but the owl patiently waiting was a good sign. He finally broke the seal on the letter and unrolled the parchment. He immediately recognized the eccentric script of the most famous wandmaker in the world.

_Dear Mr. Rupert Giles_

_It is most unexpected to hear from you after such a long time. Even stranger is your request to purchase a wand for someone in your charge. You certainly will understand the hesitancy on the part of myself as well as that of the Ministry of Magic in light of your history. However, it is not outside the realm of possibility that your ways have changed in the intervening years, and we have been in contact with the Council of Watchers in regards to your service, and dismissal, as the primary Watcher for the current Vampire Slayer._

_Do not fear, as we have always taken the word of the Council with a grain of salt, as even our own Ministry has had it's dark times. It is our belief that you should be given the benefit of the doubt, but not before thorough examination of your current and past activities. One of my assistants will be making a trip to your location, and will be in charge of your evaluation, as well as any subsequent dealings that may result._

_If you would be so kind as to make arrangements to receive our representative from the Los Angeles office of the American Ministry of Magic, and return them with the owl which delivered this message. Due to the peculiarity of the region which you reside, that is the closest my assistant will be able to travel by traditional means. Your cooperation is appreciated, and let it be known that I have every hope of your good intentions and look forward to doing business with you in the future._

_Signed,_

_Mr. Ollivander, Chief Wandmaker for Ollivander's Wand Shop_

He breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of an outright refusal, but paled slightly at the mention of an evaluation. He suspected one of several methods would be used; a pensieve, veritaserum, or legillimency, perhaps all three.

He quickly ran over a number of his deeds in his mind, and contented himself in the knowledge that, though he'd made a number of mistakes, he had done his best to atone for them. He simply hoped his past wouldn't result in Willow losing a chance to further her education.

Just as he finished reading the letter, Buffy and Willow entered the apartment. They did this frequently as Giles wasn't too far from campus and it allowed them to keep on top of everything that was happening. Willow saw Giles at his desk holding a piece of parchment, with an owl perched nearby, and immediately knew it was his response from Mr. Ollivander.

Buffy, on the other hand, didn't make the connection and approached the owl with curiosity, "Hey, Giles, what's with this owl? Were you using that wand thing to transfidget like with Willow?" She leaned forward and reached her hand out to prod the bird, "What did it use to be?" Indignantly, the bird nipped at her finger, causing the Slayer to recoiled, "Giles, it bit me!"

Willow chuckled as she walked over and stroked the birds plumage, "No, Buffy, that's a delivery owl... Giles must have heard back from the wandmaker. Right, Giles?"

Giles nodded, "Yes, I have. The Ministry has not immediately refused my request, and our rather irate feathered friend here is waiting for me to write up a response. They're willing to send a representative here to assess the situation and decide if they shall fulfill the petition."

"What kind of response are they looking for?" Buffy asked even as she eyed the momentarily vicious bird.

"They've prepared travel arrangements for their representative, but Los Angeles is as far as they'll be able to travel by regular magical means... we have to provide them with a ride here to Sunnydale."

Buffy looked confused, "Regular magical means? Can't they just... y'know... where is Xander when you need a nerdy term? Teleport! That's it... can't they just teleport wherever they need to go?"

Giles rolled his eyes, "No, Buffy, it's not quite that simple. They can't travel like that to places they've never been before... so we need to arrange a ride for this representative from Los Angeles."

Willow perked up, "Oh! Oh, it's perfect! Giles, Oz is already going to LA for a gig with the Dingos... plus he's taking that _thing_ to Angel for Buffy. He can meet up with this person and bring them back here!"

Giles was still weary about putting the Gem of Amarra in the hands of a man who could turn homicidal with the flick of an admittedly unusual switch, however he knew he could not dissuade his Slayer anymore than he could stop a bus with his bare hands. He nodded his agreement, "Very well, give me the details of his trip and I will relay them back to Mr. Ollivander."

Willow pulled a note out of her pocket and passed it over to Giles, who jotted them down inside his response, before rolling it up and attaching it to the owl's leg, "Now, I trust you'll take care with this, as well as with yourself. Rest as often as you need to." The owl hooted affirmatively and began flapping it's wings to take flight.

"Giles, why are you talking to it like it can understand you? It's just a bi..." Her comment was interrupted as the outraged owl flapped it's wings angrily and fluttered about directly over her head. She almost took a swing at it, but it finally headed off out the window which Giles had left open. Buffy was sorting herself out, mumbling about hoping it hadn't pooped in her hair, "Crazy bird."

Willow was absolutely aflutter about the possibility of receiving her very own wand. Seeing what she was capable with a wand suited for someone completely different, he was certain she would be capable of mind-boggling things when it came to magic. He only hoped he would be able to handle teaching her in a method of magic he wasn't completely certified in himself.

He considered that a condition of the Ministry, following a successful evaluation, might be that Willow be shuffled off to one of the nearest American Wizarding Academies. That prospect meant alienating the girl from her friends at a distant school where she wouldn't be able to travel directly home and would be taught the ways of magic by complete strangers.

If he proved himself in the evaluation, he would stress the need for Willow's delicate emotional stability to be taken into consideration. Such a dramatic change in her environment could result in catastrophic release of magic and label her as a dangerous case. He knew how the Council of Watchers loved an experiment being handed to them on a silver platter, and he imagined the American Ministry would be just as accepting. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

He only suspected the American Ministry had not picked up on Willow's magical abilities because of the extreme amounts of ambient magic that surrounded the Hellmouth itself. That was also probably why the closest access for magical people was Los Angeles. The magic in the air would play havoc and likely scramble anyone traveling into the area. It was that interference that made him comfortable enough to teach Willow in the first place.

He wasn't sure how either the American or English Ministries would look upon his passing knowledge on to an 'impressionable youth.' If it wasn't for the evaluation he'd be required to pass before any transaction took place, he would consider omitting that piece of information from Ollivander's representative. As it was, he would, in fact, need to present it to prove his intentions.

The only person who seemed less and less enthused with this latest development was Xander. While initially supportive of his friend's renewed exuberance towards magic, Giles could see the young man slowly stepping back and remaining quieter when the subject came up.

It had never occurred to Giles, until he really stopped to see it, how frustrating it would likely be to see all of his friends developing special abilities while he remained completely normal and unable to contribute on the same level they did.

He had thankfully become less prone to throwing himself into the fray, but he suspected that might just be the result of Buffy's insistence that he stay 'fray adjacent' and out of harms way. He had seemed to accept this with little argument, but suddenly Giles could see the toll it was beginning to take on the young man. The question was what could be done about it.

Xander had never shown much interest in the research side of their activities, at least not when it didn't directly involve some sort of immediate threat to Buffy or Willow's lives. That was undoubtedly due to the young man's one-time crush on the Slayer and his long-time friendship with Willow, which then colored all of his actions when it came to them. Now, it just seemed to manifest as a strong desire to keep the girls alive, as any loyal friend would.

He supposed he could train the young man in self-defense, but he worried that would only encourage him into the fray again, and he had no desire to incur Buffy's wrath in that capacity. It might just be a matter best left until after meeting with Ollivander's assistant and sorting out whether Willow would be allowed a wand and to remain under his tutelage.

That encounter was only a few days away, and he didn't believe Xander's condition would get dramatically worse in that time, but he would keep his eye out just the same.


	3. Reliving The Past

**Accidentally Magical, or**

**Xander Harris and the Brand New Start**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss  
Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Author's Note: The third chapter of my opening salvo to kick this series off. I will hopefully be adding a chapter here every few days. This is the first arc of what my brain is telling me could be at least a trilogy, so it should keep me busy for the next good while.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated.

**Chapter Three: Reliving The Past**

They all anxiously waited in Giles' sitting room, none more so than Willow. One would have to assume the seat she was in had some manner of vibration setting, as she looked as if she was buzzing. Unfortunately, the one person with the ability to calm her was currently on the road somewhere between here and L.A.

Giles appeared, for the first time, to be nearly as excited as Willow. He wasn't quite buzzing like she was, but he'd cleaned his glasses nearly a dozen times over the last hour and kept pacing back and forth. Xander tried lightening the mood with a joke about him wearing a path in his carpet, but Giles didn't even react outside a "Yes, yes, that would be unfortunate."

Xander again broke the silence to ask, "How long is the trip back from LA?"

Willow stopped her vibration for a moment to answer, "Oz said it would take about five and a half hours." She looked at her watch, "They were supposed to get on the road by eight this morning, and it's almost almost one-thirty, so they should be here soon."

"I really hope so, because with the energy you two are giving off I think we could power main street," Buffy quipped.

"Hey, I've been thinking of a joke like that for half an hour, I was just waiting for the right time to use it!" Xander exclaimed.

"You snooze, you lose, Xander," Buffy smirked.

A knock on the door set them all on alert. Everyone looked at everyone else, before they all jumped to their feet. Giles rushed to the door, before taking a moment to breath. He turned the knob and swung the door open to reveal a young man, whose hair today happened to be navy blue, standing beside a young woman with incredibly curly brown hair. He waved his arm to indicate they could enter, the bright daylight outside allaying any fear that the woman was potentially a vampire.

He closed the door behind them and immediately stuck his hand out to shake, "Pleased to meet you, Miss..."

"Granger, Hermione Granger," She responded as she placed her purse and travel case on the floor, causing Giles' eyes to bug out and his jaw to drop open, which he snapped shut before she turned around.

"Is that anything like Bond, James Bond?" Xander quipped. She eyed the young man curiously, and he continued to put his foot in his mouth, "Let me guess, you can't tell me because you'd have to kill me."

"Xander," Giles nearly hissed. This managed to close Xander's mouth. That, and the kick to his shin from Willow. He limped away to stand by the kitchen.

Hermione turned back to Giles and greeted him, finally accepting his extended hand, "Mr. Giles, I presume?"

"Y-yes," He stuttered, "You're... _you're_ Mr. Ollivander's assistant?"

"That's why I'm here, yes." She looked around at the diverse collection of youths; the dark-haired man with the strange sense of humor, a short blond who looked like she was sizing her up for a fight, the unsettlingly quiet young man she'd traveled from LA with, and an obviously overexcited redhead who she assumed was the claimed recipient of a new wand.

They stood there for a moment before Giles spoke up, "I assume the first order of business is the... evaluation."

"The sooner the better." She said dryly, "Is there a place where we could have privacy? I'm sure you would rather not have your dirty laundry aired in front of an audience."

Everyone but Giles paled, who seemed resigned to his fate. Buffy spoke up for the rest, "We can go stand outside... how long will it take?

Hermione seemed to be trying her best to be as clinical about the whole ordeal as she could, "It depends, but I don't think it will take terribly long... perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes."

They all nodded and began filing out of the apartment. Buffy stopped prior to closing the door and gave Giles a serious look, "You call if there's trouble, okay?" Giles nodded grimly.

Outside the apartment, the four of them took a few steps away from the door and discussed the young lady who had come from England.

"She's stuffy..." Buff declared.

"...she can't be much older than us..." Willow pointed out.

"...she's cute." Xander added absently.

"Xander!" He proceeded to be beaten mercilessly by the two girls, albeit with light slaps about the shoulder.

"What? I thought we were saying what we were thinking." He pleaded.

"Is sex still all you ever think about?" Buffy inquired.

"This had nothing to do with that! I just think she's... attractive." Xander answered, blushing madly.

"You sure it isn't because of what happened with Anya?" Willow asked quietly, "Maybe you could call her."

Xander began to glare, "No! Anya is the last thing on my mind right now, okay? What does it matter, anyway? That girl in there is all business and I'm really not sure what that business is." He turned out to be more offended than he first appeared to be, "Or am I not _allowed_ to be attracted to people?"

Buffy and Willow both looked suitably ashamed, "We're sorry, Xander... you have every right to your impure thoughts."

"I'm not having impure thoughts!" He yelled, before wandering off across the courtyard.

"He's awfully defensive." Buffy observed.

"Maybe he liked Anya more than he let on?" Willow offered.

Buffy watched her friend brooding on a bench with a concerned look, "Maybe." After a few minutes of silence from inside Giles' apartment, Buffy strained her ears to hear something, "It's awfully quiet in there... I doesn't even sound like they're talking."

Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Hermione was preparing the apartment for the evaluation. She'd immediately cast locking and silencing charms on the room to prevent them being overheard, although this effectively removed Giles' ability to call for help if danger arose.

It was good, then, that he had faith in the fact that Miss Granger was an upstanding individual and would not bring him to harm. She then conjured a pair of chairs and made them face each other, before opening one of her traveling cases and removing a small stone bowl along with a small vial of clear liquid.

She gestured for him to take a seat in one of the chairs, which he did without hesitation, "Alright, Mr. Giles, as you are aware this evaluation will determine if Miss Rosenburg will be allowed access to a wand from us for the purpose of learning magic. As a result of this meeting, you are undoubtedly aware that Miss Rosenburg's status as a witch will be registered with the American Ministy of Magic, and she may be subject to further examinations by their officials.

"This will happen regardless of my findings here today. If it is determined that you have, in any way, caused hindrance to her proper education in the ways of magic, you will be charged and brought before the American Wizengamot. Do you understand?"

Giles maintained a calm face as he replied, "Of course."

"Very well. These interrogations..." She paused briefly as she saw him flinch, "I apologize, Mr. Giles, as the word does sound harsh, but that is essentially what this is. As I said, these interrogations are typically performed through one of three techniques; A pensieve, which requires you to submit a selection of memories to be examined in this bowl-shaped device right here.

"Secondly, the use of legillimency where one individual looks into the mind of another to access the same memories as would be seen via a pensieve. Thirdly, the administering of Veritaserum, which forces the recipient to tell the truth no matter what. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do." Giles once again replied calmly.

"In this instance, we shall not be using a pensieve directly as the investigator would be left vulnerable while viewing the memories provide. I do not say that to imply that you are not trustworthy, however that fact has yet to be determined and there is no other investigator here to ensure my safety. So, I have opted to forgo that method during the interview today.

"That leaves us with the remaining two techniques; Legillimency or Veritaserum. As this is an informal interrogation, I am willing to offer you the choice of which method we shall use here today. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do." Giles affirmed.

"My recommendation to you is this; both methods are equally effective, though each has their pitfalls. Legillimency is known to be rather uncomfortable for the recipient, as the caster is essentially rifling through their mind to find specific memories. Vertiaserum is altogether painless, but the serum takes a bit of time to wear off and can lead to rather embarrassing situations if the dosed is released to the public before it has left their system."

Giles' response is almost immediate, "I believe Legillimency would be the most prudent option. It would be rather, uh, unfortunate should _they_ be allowed near me while still under Veritaserum... especially Xander. I'd never live it down."

She gave him an odd glance, but proceeded with the conversation, "Very well. Before we start I shall read your rights as deemed by the Universal Wizengamot Council... You have been given the right today to choose your method of examination. Any refusal to submit to this interrogation will be interpreted as an admission of guilt.

"It is your responsibility to be open to the procedure and to not hinder it's progress in any way. You have the right to dispute the findings of this interrogation by lodging a formal protest with your homeland Ministry, and appeal your case before the appropriate Wizengamot. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do." Giles agreed.

Hermione finally took a seat in the chair opposite Giles and gently directed her wand towards him. She sighed as she prepared for the less than enjoyable task of entering someone elses mind, "Are you ready?" A nod from Giles was her cue, "_Legillimens_!"

The flood of images nearly overwhelmed her, as it always did. Nothing stood still for very long, and soon she found herself in a neutral hollow in his mind. He obviously had some form of experience in dealing with a mind probe of this sort before, clearing his mind of any immediate thoughts but not erecting any rigid barriers to prevent exploration.

And so she began her investigation, "Please focus on your exploration of the dark arts in your youth." As expected, another flood of memories approached the hollow and gave her a chance to peer in at their contents. She mentally cataloged them as they passed and then proceeded on, "Now think of the demon Eyghon." She could feel his nervousness at the thought of that particular topic, but reserved her judgment until she'd had a chance to review all the evidence.

And so it went, she would bring up a topic, he would call up memories related to it in his mind, and she would briefly examine them before moving on. She touched on many different subjects, such as his first meeting with Buffy, the regrettable fall of Faith the second Slayer, the Cruciamentum, his firing by the Council of Watchers, and the destruction of Sunnydale High. She also inquired about each of the four people standing outside. Each one brought with it a cascade of emotions that Hermione had trouble ignoring.

The interrogation itself then came to a close, and Hermione instructed Giles to wait outside with the others while she deliberated over the evidence. She removed and then reproduced the locking and silencing charms on the door after letting Giles out, before walking over to the pensieve and beginning the arduous process of removing the collected memories from her own mind and dropping them into the bowl.

She traced her wand tip along a newer looking rune on the lip of the bowl, which resulted in a swirl of golden sparks rising up from it. She took another breath before she leaned into the pensieve and prepared to experience the life of Rupert Giles, one piece at a time.


	4. A Mistake Corrected

**Accidentally Magical, or**

**Xander Harris and the Brand New Start**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Author's Note: Another chapter earlier than I planned. Due to some feedback from readers, I wanted to make adjustments to prior chapters (including the magic used in the first one), and didn't know if it would trip the "story updated" alert for those who have it. So I wanted to at least make the action worth it, although it happens to be one of the shorter chapters I've written.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Four: A Mistake Corrected**

The group of now five individuals waited rather impatiently outside the door of Giles' apartment. Each was dealing with the wait in their own way. Willow was talking animatedly with Oz, or more accurately _at_ him, about how amazing it would be to be able to have her very own wand to practice magic with.

Oz, for his part, was listening to her every word and expressing himself in his usual single word responses which Willow didn't seem to mind at all. Xander was still across the courtyard, brooding and apparently deep in thought about something.

Buffy was whittling herself a collection of new stakes from what used to be a moderately sized tree outside Giles' front door. She'd apparently gotten annoyed with the wait and used a little too much force when venting her frustration on it. Giles knew he was going to hear about that from his landlord.

Giles himself was leaning against the wall just to the side of his door, trying desperately to ignore the urge for a cigarette he hadn't felt in more years than he could remember. He had no idea how long it would take Miss Granger to consider his case.

He imagined she might have employed the pensieve she had opted not to use in his presence to sort through everything she had learned, but to examine everything could take hours if not days. He simply resigned himself to the fact that he would have to wait until she was ready to announce it.

In the meantime, he decided to follow up on a thought that had crossed his mind earlier. He stood up from the wall and made his way across the courtyard to sit down on the other side of the bench currently occupied by Xander. The boy was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice him sit down. He didn't even respond at first when Giles spoke, "Xander?"

The second time Giles called his name, he finally reacted, "Huh?"

"Xander, I wished to ask how you were doing," Giles stated plainly.

Xander seemed temporarily frozen, as his well-being wasn't something Giles ever seemed to ask about, "I, uh... I'm fine, Giles."

Giles expected this answer, and berated himself for not taking the opportunity to connect with the young man more often, "You do not appear so, if I may say. Something appears to be on your mind, and I would be willing to listen... if you would be willing to talk."

Xander still had a slightly shell shocked look to him, "What's up, Giles? Are they deporting you?"

It was Giles' turn to do a double take, "Good heavens, no, Xander! Whatever gave you that impression?"

Xander looked sheepishly at him, "You're talking to me... and it's not a scolding. That implies you're worried about what that girl in there has to say. I just figured if things went badly, you'd get taken back to England or something."

Giles let out a sigh before speaking, "I don't believe I need to worry about my status here in America, this evaluation is much more to do with Willow's future than it is about me, though I will certainly end up having an effect on the decision. I think I may need to apologize to you, Xander. In my zeal to train Buffy to be a slayer, and Willow to be a witch, I've neglected to take the time to get to know you yourself.

"My concern at the moment comes from the realization that I haven't given you as much time and consolation as I have to both Buffy and Willow. I now wish to try and remedy that in any way I can, and if it comes in the form of acting as your sounding board and offering advice if it is asked of me, then I will do it. I wish to get to know the young man who is so deeply entrenched in the lives of these two extraordinary women."

Xander took several moments to digest this, so long, in fact, that Giles began to think he'd overstepped his bounds. He was startled when Xander finally spoke, barely above a whisper, "Is there something _wrong_ with me, Giles?"

Giles stifled the initial chuckle those words brought about, as they were used by Willow when this whole situation began. Instead, he looked seriously at the young man sitting next to him, "What do you mean, precisely?"

Xander began taking on the look of a little boy lost as he stared far off into the sky, "Everyone I know is getting some sort of superpower, Giles. Buffy is the Slayer and could easily beat up anybody who gets in her way. Willow is a witch who seems to be getting more powerful every day. You're all Watchery with the knowing stuff. Even Oz has something, he's a werewolf.

"Admittedly, I can't really envy him, cause there's times of the month where it can't be all that fun. But he's got a sense of smell that you can't get anything past." He looked at Giles with a look that expressed just how powerless he truly felt, "I'm scared I'm getting left behind."

Giles took it all in and tried to work out a response. It was far more difficult than he was expecting, but he hoped to give the young man some measure of comfort, "Xander, it's true you don't seem to possess any powers in the traditional sense. No super strength, magical capacity, or superior sense of smell... but what you do possess is just as valuable.

"I certainly give you a hard time about it more than I likely should, but your ability to bring levity to nearly any situation, no matter how hopeless, provides us all with a moment of relief we never stop to realize we need."

"Really?" Xander didn't sound too sure.

Giles made eye contact with him and spoke sincerely, "Yes, really. I will do my best to show my appreciation for your humor more often, and I promise that I will try to take out as much time as I can to spend with you, as I do with both Buffy and Willow. I'm rather surprised you haven't brought the subject up with any of us before now."

Xander finally seemed to accept what he'd said, but still shyly ducked his head, "I didn't want to rock the boat. I thought things were good enough the way they were." Giles had to admire the young man's humbleness and persistence to stand by his friends no matter how left out he was feeling. He was then caught off-guard by a desperate sounding, "I don't always want to be just the joke guy."

Before they could continue the conversation any further, Giles' apartment door unlocked and swung open to reveal a haggard looking Hermione. They all could tell she looked markedly different than she had a mere half-hour before. She looked like she hadn't gotten much sleep in days, her makeup appeared to have been worn off, and dried tear streaks could be barely seen across her cheeks.

None of them quite knew what to say, as it was a dramatic change for them all to see. Giles the most so as she had appeared quite together and well-kept when he had exited the room just fifteen minutes prior.

Before any of them could ask her just what had happened, she spoke softly, "By the authority granted to me by the British Minister of Magic, Mr. Shacklebolt, as well as Mr. Ollivander, I agree to assist in the selection of a wand for Miss Willow Rosenberg."


	5. The Wand Chooses

**Accidentally Magical, or**

Xander Harris and the Brand New Start

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Author's Note: By popular demand another chapter is released. I should note that this fic is essentially all written out. That doesn't mean it's set in stone, because I'm willing to listen to reader feedback, but the overall direction is figured out. I want to pace myself in releasing it because I'm in the middle of the sequel and I'd like to give it time to develop.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Five: The Wand Chooses**

They had all shuffled back into the room. The chairs Hermione had conjured earlier were still in place, and she gestured for Willow to take one. Everyone else chose arbitrary spots around the living room to watch whatever was about to take place.

Hermione took a quick glance around at the observers. They all had their own magical association which gave them privilege to view the selection of Willow's wand, all except one. Xander, the muggle boy, made her uncomfortable for some reason. She hated herself for referring to him simply as a muggle, as she was at one time herself.

However, while the others all had the birthright to look in on this wizarding tradition, he did not. He wasn't a part of it. He was just a guy who hung around these magical individuals but had no real reason for it. In a manner he was already well aware of the goings on of the supernatural world, but at the same time he stood on the outside looking in.

Part of her feared his presence would trip the alarms typically set by Ministries to prevent the exposure of muggles to the ways of wizards. She wasn't completely comfortable risking a citation on foreign soil, but she knew none of the others would likely accept his dismissal, least of all the boy himself. It felt even more awkward referring to him as a boy, even though he couldn't be more than a year or two younger than herself.

She tried to shake off the fatigue she was experiencing, having sat through countless hours of moments from the life of Rupert Giles. She had neglected to take periodic rests in the hopes of getting through this session as quickly as was possible. She knew it was ill-advised to do so, as it would leave her mental state on edge, but this Hellmouth was giving her a very bad feeling and she wished to be away from it as soon as she could.

She summoned her second traveling case and it slid smoothly to her feet. They all appeared impressed at the ease with which she manipulated the things around her. It was always this way with people unfamiliar with the wizarding world. She herself undoubtedly acted the same, although with a much more logical and rational approach to it. She would have been more concerned with the how and the why than the fact that someone had summoned an object to them.

She used her wand to remove the locking charm placed on the case and gently lifted the lid to reveal it's contents. It looked absolutely empty, and she could tell a few of them were about to inquire about it. That wasn't something she would allow to happen, as she'd already spent far too much time in this place, even if they couldn't be aware of that fact.

So, she pressed on, dipping first her hand and then her arm, almost up to her shoulder into the case. Another moment of surprise for the observers as she noted to her self that she needed to adjust the dimensions of this case so she wouldn't have to reach quite so deep in the future.

"Holy cow, how deep is it in there?" It was the teenage boy, why wasn't she surprised? She looked up at him with eyes that showed this wasn't a question and answer session. He immediately shrunk and a pang of regret crossed her mind. Why did she have to be so short with? She knew quite well that she had been just as curious when she'd first learned she was a witch. The boy simply couldn't help himself.

And so she began pulling slender boxes out of the case and presenting them to Miss Rosenberg. With each case, the girl treated it like a new present on Christmas morning. She would remove them from it with her delicate hands and concentrate far too hard to elicit a response.

On more than a few she received a flicker or even a momentary bloom from the wand tip, but none seemed ready to claim her as their own. She briefly recited Mr. Ollivander's assertion that each wand chose it's user, not the other way around. This fascinated the redhead and Hermione could briefly see a reflection of herself in the girls eagerness to learn something new.

If she hadn't just spent several days, in her experience, perusing through the memories of Mr. Giles, she might have used a little more care in what she did with the discarded wands. As it was, she reboxed them and set them off to the side of her travel case, instead of replacing them inside. Perhaps she could reason with herself that it would prevent them from accidentally testing the same wands over and over, even though she knew for a fact the case was charmed to cycle rejected wands to the bottom of the pile.

While she was distracted in her task of finding a wand for Willow, Xander had quickly become bored with the repetitive activity. At first he tried to find something amusing to do around the apartment, but found that impossible as Giles was known to be an insatiable bore.

He'd paused a moment when that thought crossed his mind as he remembered Giles' words out in the courtyard. He needed to give the man more credit. Once his search for entertainment ended in failure, he decided it wouldn't hurt to take a look at a few of those sticks Willow was being shown to find out what the fuss was all about.

He quietly picked them up at random and examined them up close. They appeared to be made up of various kinds of wood, and he surprised himself by being able to name them. They were of all sorts of lengths, some of them shorter than his hand with fingers extended, and others longer than a foot. Some were flexible and others nearly snapped in his hand as he handled them.

It took him completely by surprise, not to mention everyone else in the room, when a wand made of what he seemed to think was mahogany, and measured at least ten inches, started reacting in his hand.

Their eyes all snapped in his direction as a spray of red and yellow sparks flowed of the end of the stick and a soft wind with no discernible source began blowing his hair in all directions. The most surprised of all, he'd wager, was the witch with the curly hair, who looked as if he'd just called her a dirty word. And he was pretty sure he hadn't.

"What did you do?" She demanded. She saw the pile of wands, haphazardly laying about his feet, and looked enraged, "What have you been doing?"

Xander swore he could hear a crackle of electricity from her general vicinity, and his immediate response was to squeak, "I was curious!"

"Curious? _CURIOUS?_" He didn't just suspect an electricity built up around her, he could actually see it now. He gulped and dropped the wand in his hand immediately. The light from the tip faded and the wind died down, at least the wind that had apparently been coming from him. She looked positively ready to kill him, although he still stood by his earlier claim that she was really cute, even when immeasurably angry.

Giles, though still surprised, sought to cut off any potential homicide that would take place in his home, "Miss Granger, please, it's isn't anything to get violent over. It was a simple mistake, and more importantly, we've discovered something that otherwise might never have happened."

Something in his voice triggered her sense, and the magic swirling around her receded, but her anger was still evident, "You... you could have gotten hurt, or hurt someone! Wands are not something to toy around with." She took a few deep breaths, "This development certainly intrigues me, but that kind of irresponsibility is likely to get that wand snapped just as quickly as you found it." She gave a serious look at Giles, who paled at her comment.

Giles looked to Xander, trying to pull a little more blood into his face, "Xander, please sit back, away from the wands. She's right that that was very irresponsible, and I'm sorry that none of us made mention against such a thing beforehand. I promise we'll deal with this in a moment, alright?"

A wave of Hermione's wand moved all of the rejected wands, besides the one which seemed to have reacted to him, back into her traveling case. That wand glided within easy reach of Hermione, and she repeatedly glanced at it to make sure it stayed put. Xander was thoroughly frightened by the anger exhibited by Hermione, and went to take a seat on Giles' couch.

His immediate reaction was to pity himself for having screwed up and ruining what was supposed to be Willow's moment. Then he became despondent over the fact that he never seemed to have a moment of his own, it was always tied in with someone else's.

He tempered this immediately as he remembered Giles jumping to his defense and promising that he wouldn't just be glossed over today. It was quite a jumble of emotions to go through in a short span, which is why he didn't notice Willow getting a reaction out of a wand made of Hawthorn that couldn't have been more than eight inches long.


	6. Accidentally Magical

**Accidentally Magical, or**

Xander Harris and the Brand New Start

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: Thank you for all the feedback, whether positive or negative. In the end, I've decided to let Chapter 5 stand as it is (with the one modification I made shortly after posting). Changing it any more would have pleased the readers who thought my characterization was totally wrong, but it would also have lost ties with what I intended for the story down the line. So, if that chapter was enough to turn you off of this story completely, I'm sorry but I'm not willing to _drastically_ alter this story to satisfy a handful of readers. I want to tell this story the way it came to me.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Six: Accidentally Magical**

The sun was approaching set outside as the wand selection took an unusually long time. Buffy and Willow were gushing over the beautiful and elegant wand which chose Willow as it's master. Meanwhile, Xander had to face down both chocolate-eyed barrels of one unsettled witch named Hermione Granger.

He wasn't quite sure if he was going to survive the day, but he took comfort in the fact that Giles rested against the left arm of the plush chair he currently occupied. He didn't have words for how much he appreciated that Giles was standing by him for this. A promise fulfilled, and he still didn't quite feel like he deserved it, but he wouldn't go turning it down either.

"Have you ever performed any feats which you couldn't explain? Moved things, made things go away, made yourself disappear?" Hermione questioned him, the snappish tone had mostly drained out of her voice, to be replaced by something else. She was definitely filled with curiosity over this latest wrinkle in the little adventure she was on.

He looked uncertain as he tried to remember, "No, there were no floating G.I. Joe wars in my house. Though there were plenty of times I wish I could have. Uh, not the G.I. Joe part, the making myself disappear."

Her eyebrow quirked upward at his last words, but she also seemed annoyed with his apparent refusal to take the situation seriously, "I don't mean consciously. Have you ever gotten very angry at something or someone and had anything happen around you?"

Xander looked uncomfortable, but shook his head, "Usually things are getting mad at me, and I just try to go away."

Hermione couldn't seem to figure it out, "I've never heard of any cases where a..." She paused before she declared him a muggle, realizing it was a bit harsh and hypocritical of her, "_Non-magical person_ could activate a wand, and a wizard who does not exhibit instances of accidental magic during childhood is highly uncommon. Even if he's a squib he shouldn't have been able to do _that_." She accented her final word to indicate the strong reaction the wand had in Xander's possession.

Giles saw Xander's discomfort at being spoken _of_ instead of _to_ and interjected, "I believe it may have more to do with this area than anything else." He exchanged a look with Xander he hoped would be reassuring, "As you're undoubtedly aware, Sunnydale was built upon a Hellmouth, and as such has an unmeasurable amount of ambient magic in the air.

"It's the reason why magical travel here is such a risk, it would act as a sort of scrambler. It's why the traditional wizarding community stays as far away as Los Angeles. It's also likely the reason that neither child has ever been picked up by the detection methods used by the American Ministry. They simply can't penetrate the... _fog_, for a lack of a better term.

"I am ashamed to admit that I have never really attempted to judge Xander's magical capacity, as I had always felt there were other more pressing matters." He shot an apologetic look to Xander and was glad he saw understanding in the young man's eyes, "It is a mistake I deeply regret, and has obviously led to today's events. It is no one's fault but my own for having failed him."

Xander felt compelled to stick up for his mentor, as he had done for him, "Giles, it isn't all your fault. It's not like I've ever really tried. I've just been content to have things however they came. If I had been a little more like Willow and been willing to study, maybe we could have found out ages ago... and I wouldn't be so far behind." He sounded quite dejected.

Hermione watched the exchange with wonder. Until now she had only really seen Xander as a juvenile young man who refused to grow up, much like Ronald Weasley. She winced mentally the memory and continued on along in her thoughts, realizing for the first time that Xander might be more mature than she gave him credit for. However, it was not her place to introspect on her customers, she needed to finish this transaction and refer them to the American Ministry for further information.

She pulled a roll of parchment out of the case and touched it with her wand, and a rush of words and numbers rolled past before coming to a stop, "Alright, now that we've selected a wand... I should say, selected _two_ wands for the wizard and witch... we should complete the transaction so we can all move on with our own business." She once again looked at the parchment before proceeding, "All totaled, the wands and this little house call come at a cost of fifty-eight galleons and ten sickles... or roughly five hundred and ninety dollars American."

Willow and Xander were floored, the latter in the literal sense, by the sum. She allowed them a moment before offering, "The larger sum of four hundred and fifty dollars is the responsibility of Mr. Giles and is for covering the cost of transportation and the visitation fee required by Ollivander's Wand Shop. The remaining one hundred and forty is split evenly between the two of you, as it is seven galleons or about seventy dollars per wand."

Willow couldn't seem to find words for how shocked she was, but Xander almost immediately replaced his wand in it's box and declared, "Giles, I can't... that's just too much." He tried handing it back to Hermione, "I guess I don't really need to be a wizard anyway."

Giles looked at the young man with sadness before proclaiming, "You'll not be handing anything back today, Xander. I am more than willing to cover the cost for both of you, as I am primarily to blame for dragging you into this predicament in the first place." Both Willow and Xander looked ready to protest, but he quieted them with a look, before turning to Hermione, "I don't suppose you take checks?"

After finalizing the transaction with Mr. Giles, she quietly gathered her possessions with a wave of her wand. She took another look around at this motley crew of individuals; Willow had finally managed to put her wand back in it's case, but looked as if she wanted to pull it back out just to look at it again. Buffy was doing a series of stretches and glancing at a rack of weapons Hermione hadn't noticed was there before.

Giles had finished his reassuring of Xander that he needn't pay him back for the wand and had made his way over to a shelf full of books, and the collection caught her attention for a few moments. She just couldn't resist a peek at some of the bindings. She wandered over and browsed a plethora of titles she had never dreamed existed. She felt like a child all over again seeing so many books she had yet to explore.

"You have the look of someone who enjoys a good read," Giles commented sagely.

Hermione jumped at his sudden speaking, having completely lost herself in her perusal, "Oh, oh, yes... I've adored reading since I was very little. Most of the children teased me about it... called me a know-it-all, but I was actually very proud of it." She blushed at the appreciative smile Giles sent her way.

"There's certainly nothing wrong with a thirst for knowledge." Giles posited, "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

Hermione's eyes widened, "You were a..."

"Ravenclaw? Yes. Although that damnable hat had the nerve to say I'd do well in Slytherin. Told it to sod off," He added with a chuckle before sighing, "Although look how things ended up anyway."

Hermione was quiet a moment, before responding, "Mr. Giles, everyone makes mistakes, and from what I've seen you have more than made up for it while working with the Slayer."

He looked kindly down on her, "I've been meaning to ask about that... there must have been days worth of information to sort through, and yet you managed it in just over twenty minutes. Might I ask how that was?"

Hermione nodded, pulling out her wand and summoning her pensieve to her. She caught it out of mid-air and turned the stone basin to face Giles, "After getting my internship with Mr. Ollivander, I began reading up on everything I could. I came upon a rune that alters the flow of time inside a pensieve. While I'm viewing memories, time travels at a much slower pace. So, I can sort through material faster than would normally take."" She gestured to the rune in question on the lip of the bowl.

"That's brilliant," Giles breathed.

She moved on, focusing her eyes on the pensieve in her hands, "I believe I should be getting on my way back to the Los Angeles Ministry office so I can make it back to England before they close up. My findings have already been sent along to Mr. Ollivander, as well as both the American and British Ministries. You will surely be hearing from both of them in the coming weeks."

He once again extended his hand to her, "It has been a pleasure, Miss Granger."

She was caught by surprise as a vibrant head of red hair collided with her in a crushing hug. She momentarily thought Ginny Weasley had somehow followed her here, but quickly realized it was simply Willow. The young girl was clutching to her for dear life and muttering thank you repeatedly. She finally had to be pried off by Buffy, who apologized for her friend before saying goodbye herself and heading out on patrol.

The last person to say goodbye was Xander. He looked suddenly awkward and stuck his hand out to shake, much like how Giles had. She conservatively grasped his hand to shake it, at which point he softly said, "Thanks, Hermione... this is unbelievable." He gestured with the wand box held in his other hand.

She regarded him for a moment and replied simply, "You're welcome."

Without another word she used her wand to shrink her traveling cases, much to the amazement of the remaining youths, before sticking them in her purse which was resting across her shoulder. She bid them farewell with a silent nod and began turning on the spot to disapparate, when Xander suddenly got her attention.

"Whoa whoa, hey!" His sudden movement towards her sent her off balance and she began falling to the floor, only to have him catch her before it was too late, "Geez, sorry about that... are you okay?"

"Are you _mad_?" Hermione hollered after she'd been hauled back to her feet, "What did you do that for?"

He looked truly sorry, "I'm sorry! I just remembered... Didn't Giles say the Hellmouth acted like a scrambler or something towards magic travel? Are you sure it's safe for you to beam yourself out from here?"

Hermione looked at him as if he'd grown a second head, "Beam myself out? What does that..." Then it hit her, he was perfectly right, "Oh my, you're right! How could I have forgotten that?"

She looked ashamed of herself, and it was only then that both of them realized that Xander was still holding on to her from when she'd almost fallen. They sprang apart like they'd been shocked and Xander went to sit on the back of the couch.

Giles, too, looked ashamed for having forgotten, "My word, that was almost a disaster! I'm terribly sorry for not remembering how dangerous that would be, especially since I just mentioned it not long ago."

Hermione looked briefly horrified, as she'd very nearly been scattered about the countryside. She didn't imagine it would have been terribly painful, but it wasn't her ideal way to go. She had to take a seat on one of the chairs she'd conjured earlier in order to catch her breath. Her life hadn't even flashed before her eyes, wasn't that what they always said happened?

She finally came back to herself, and appeared to be in the middle of a conversation between the other occupants of the room, "How is she supposed to get home now?" It was Xander, and he sounded quite concerned.

Giles spoke up next, "I believe it should be possible for her to travel if she can get out past the boundaries of the Hellmouth's strongest magic... at the very least that should be the city limits."

Willow entered the conversation, "How will she get out there, Giles? It's not really a short walk there. Oz went to play a gig at The Bronze, and Buffy's already left on patrol. She could have carried you where you need to go."

Hermione suddenly looked harassed at the idea of the petite blond hauling her over her shoulder through the streets of this unfamiliar city, "That's quite alright, I'd rather she not."

"I can do it." Xander offered, "I've got Uncle Rory's Chevy again... I can run her out there."

Hermione stuttered, "I d-don't really..." She couldn't find a good argument against it, as the only other options were a rather long walk or an embarrassing parade through the streets in the arms of a woman smaller than herself, "I don't see why not."

"Cool!" Xander celebrated, then realized how silly he looked, "Want to come along, Willow?"

Willow looked tempted, but shook her head, "No, I have some things I want to ask Giles and I don't want to forget them."

Hermione and Xander looked at each other for a few moments, realizing they'd be stuck together in a car for several minutes, alone. They both looked away from each other at the same time and silently exited the apartment after saying goodbye to Giles and Willow


	7. Roadside Reverie

**Accidentally Magical, or**

Xander Harris and the Brand New Start

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: Someone suggested to me that I merge Chapter 6 and 7 together, because 6 only felt like half a chapter... On the other hand, I wanted to to keep a break between this one and the next because I want to keep the chapter lengths about the same. I don't want to put out a 4000 word chapter and then follow it up with something significantly shorter (for the record, I have no idea what chapter 8 weighs in at). It's just a quirk I have. Anyway, as a compromise, I decided to release Chapters 6 and 7 at the same time so you can get the 'whole chapter' experience and I can still have it as two chapters. No one said I was completely sane, and I'm thinking that classification will continue to elude me for the time being. This also puts us _1/4_ of the way through the story.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Seven: Roadside Reverie**

Hermione followed Xander through the courtyard quietly, making their way to the small parking lot adjacent to the property. There, parked at an awkward angle and blocking another stall, was a two-tone white/powder blue '57 Chevy convertible. It had the top up and looked in fairly good condition. Hermione wondered how Xander could afford something like this, if he couldn't even pay for his wand.

As if he'd read her mind, he answered, "She's all looks, unfortunately. Engine dropped out on me a few months back, and I just got done dumping a ton of money to get it fixed. She runs, though she sounds like she's got emphysema. You get used to it, though." That explained why he didn't have enough to cover his wand, although she got the feeling he was never very blessed when it came to money.

She tried to say something to indicate she wasn't pitying him, "It is very... pretty." _That_ would do the trick. She had to stop herself from slapping herself on the forehead after that remark.

He didn't seem to notice her tone as he grinned, "Thanks." He took her by surprise as he jumped ahead of her in order to open the passenger side door for her. She thanked him as she climbed into the seat. It was quite comfortable and didn't have as much of the clutter of garbage she'd expected an American's car to have.

After she'd been seated, he gently closed the door and got around to the driver's side. It took him several strong pulls on the handle before the door finally decided to release, and he nearly ended up on the ground as he lost his footing. Once again, he shook it off and simply climbed into the driver's seat and placed the key in the ignition.

He wasn't kidding when he said the engine sounded ill. It was some horrific combination that sounded like asthma and a smoker's cough. For the first time, she considered having her bits scattered across the countryside might not have been an altogether bad option.

"That's my girl!" Xander cooed, as he put the car in reverse and eased his way back out of the stall. It was when he almost hit Giles' compact Citroen that she realized; she could have traveled to the town limits with the reserved but much less quirky man she'd arrived in America to evaluate in the first place.

It was too late for that now, as she didn't really want to crush the poor boy's feelings by requesting not to have to travel with him.

After they pulled out of the lot, Xander seemed to arbitrarily decide which direction to go, and she became a little worried that they might get lost within the boundaries of the town. He startled her as he suddenly asked her a question, "So, do you actually make the wands, or are you just this guy's door-to-door salesman? Uh, I mean saleswoman."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and wondered if he was serious. It quickly dawned on her that everything the young man did was serious, at least to himself.

She decided to humor him, as she didn't see the harm in answering a few questions, "I suppose I'm a little more of a latter than the former. I do represent Mr. Ollivander in deals outside of the shop. He never leaves there, not after he was captured by Voldemort. I also do the majority of his book keeping. I am learning the process of creating wands, though. It's absolutely fascinating what goes into it."

He nodded and she suspected he was thinking over what to ask next, and in the meantime he flipped on the headlights as it was growing dark outside, "What kind of training do you need to get a job like that? Is there a wizarding trade school? Would you just walk up to somebody and say, 'Hey, I'd like to learn how to someday replace you.'"

She couldn't help the brief chuckle his wording elicited, "For some jobs there is secondary schooling, mine doesn't happen to be one of them, though. Actually, the second thing you described actually happened with Mr. Ollivander. After Voldemort was defeated, I wandered a bit trying to find out what I wanted to do.

"I heard through the grapevine that Mr. Ollivander was having trouble getting back to work, so I approached him looking to help. He was quite eager to take on an apprentice, especially one with my notoriety."

Xander swerved a moment on the road as his head snapped to look at her, "You're famous?"

Her look of terror put his eyes back on the road, and he narrowly avoided taking out a mailbox. When she'd calmed down, she took her turn to look at him curiously, "You didn't know? Mr. Giles never said anything?"

"He didn't really have a chance. He didn't seem to know who you would be until you walked in the door. He did seem surprised by you, but I just figured it was cause you're bea..." His mouth snapped shut.

"Because I'm what?" She asked, believing to have missed the end of his sentence.

He quickly became an odd shade of purple in the dim light of the car's interior, "Nevermind... so, you're famous for something?" He asked hastily, trying to draw her attention. When he realized what he'd said, his eyes became thoughtful, "You don't really have to tell me if you don't want to. I bet you get enough people who ask you about whatever it is."

She looked at him once more, genuinely surprised, "You don't want to know?"

He laughed, "Well, of course I do, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna make you tell me. You might be famous for something really horrific that was done to you, and I wouldn't want to make you relive it just cause I'm curious."

She smiled faintly at his thoughtfulness, "I helped a very dear friend of mine defeat a dark wizard who murdered his parents." She paused, "Well, honestly, he did the hardest part, I just tried to keep him alive until then."

"It's that Voldemort guy, right? The one who captured your boss?"

She blinked, "Yes, yes it was."

He kept his eyes on the road, taking her silence as reaction of surprise, "I'm actually a really good listener... I just tend to say the stupid thing at the wrong time." He sighed, "So, did your friend make it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"This friend of yours, the one that beat this dark wizard guy. Did he survive?" She tried to figure out why he wanted to know, but simply answered.

"Yes, he did. Well, sort of. He willing sacrificed himself at first, because of something our mentor told him. And because of it, he was granted a second chance to finally defeat Voldemort." She recalled, almost wistfully.

The car swerved again, and she saw that he was staring at her again, "He what?!"

She made a grab for the wheel to keep them on the road, but he recovered before she could. She was seriously reconsidering the wisdom in this trip, "He went into a battle with the intention of giving his life to save others, and it somehow gave him another opportunity to finish it forever. Why?"

He looked thoughtful once again, and he softly responded, "It's just... that's a lot like something that happened to Buffy."

Her own curiosity was piqued and she couldn't help asking, "What happened to her?"

He saw the city limit sign up ahead and became pensive, "I don't know if I should... but you told me your story..." He glanced at her briefly, "I'll tell you, because it's the least I owe you but... could it wait until we pull over? It's a tough topic for me."

Her curiosity at the story was nothing compared to her sudden interest in just what would drive this usually upbeat and energetic young man to looking much older than he really was. She simply nodded, unable to properly form her question.

He drove on, passing the Now Leaving Sunnydale sign, and waited for her to give some sort of signal for him to stop, "Just let me know when the wiggins recede enough for you and we can pull over."

She nodded again, "It's peculiar... I could feel the magic growing weaker the moment we passed the city limits..."

"That's Sunnydale for you... probably keeps all but the most determined out of the way." Xander responded.

Another five miles down the road, passed almost entirely in silence, and she told him they could pull off wherever it was convenient.

He did as she asked, pulling the car onto the shoulder and placing it in park. She started to get out, but he gently placed an hand on her arm and shook his head, "It's probably best if I tell you this inside the car. We wouldn't want a vamp sneaking up on us or anything."

He took a few moments to collect his thoughts, and she began to think he'd changed his mind. He finally began speaking, and it was a far different man she heard than she'd seen when the car ride began.

"A few years back, not even a whole year after I met Buffy and got involved in all this supernatural mumbo-jumbo, there was a prophecy." Hermione's eyes widened, "It basically said that Buffy was destined to die at the hands of this incredibly evil vampire called The Master.

"She got all mad about it, because she didn't like the fact that her life was apparently preplanned and she didn't get a say in it. She got so mad that she decided to go down into this vampire's lair and kill him, just to prove the whole thing wrong.

"That turned out to be exactly the _wrong_ thing to do, as she only ended up fulfilling the prophecy by walking right into his hands." Hermione gasped, and he nodded, "Buffy died. That evil... bastard, he shoved her face down in a pool of water and drowned her."

Hermione couldn't help her eyes watering all of the sudden, knowing that Buffy had endured something all too similar to what Harry had experienced, "If she died... how is she?"

He had to take a moment before he went on, "That's the part that really gets me, because it makes everything that's come after that much more confusing. I knew what Buffy was going to do, and I couldn't let her. Not if there was a chance she could die. He spoke his next words with a particular venom, "Everybody else, they just seemed to give up, it was a _prophecy_ after all.

He had to wipe at his eyes, desperately fighting off the tears that wanted to escape, "Especially this _guy_ named Angel. Buffy had the hots for him, and he'd seemed to have the hots for her too. He just gave up and was willing to let Buffy die because some idiot centuries ago decided to write in a book that she was going to. I went to Angel's place and I _persuaded_ him to take me into the sewers to find The Master's lair."

"Persuaded him?" Hermione couldn't help but ask.

Xander actually laughed, despite his losing battle with his tears, "I threatened him... all but promised that if Buffy died, he would too." He continued on with the story, before he lost his nerve, "I followed him into the sewers, and we eventually got into the vampire's lair to find Buffy laying face down in water. She wasn't breathing, and her heart had stopped." This time he actually sobbed and felt Hermione place a hand on his arm.

"We had to do something to save her, but Angel couldn't give her the breaths she needed, so it was up to me. Thank god I'd taken CPR lessons the summer before!"

"Why couldn't Angel give her breath? Was he still refusing to go against the prophecy?"

Xander hadn't really wanted to go into this, not right now, but had no choice, "He's a vampire... but a good one. That's why I call him Deadboy. It's this whole big thing and I still don't like the guy so I've never bothered with the details. Anyway, he couldn't breath, so I had to. I gave her CPR until she finally started breathing again. And then she went off _with_ Angel to kill The Master." He tried not to sound bitter, but it still stung to this day.

It suddenly dawned on Hermione why this was such a painful memory for him, "You were in love with Buffy?"

He suddenly looked uncomfortable, despite having just cried openly in front of a stranger, "I don't know, maybe I was, maybe I wasn't... but it didn't really boost the self-esteem to watch her walk off with the guy who was willing to let her die." He stared out over the hood of the car and realized it was growing quite dark out now, "You should probably get going if you want to make it back to England."

Hermione exited the car on auto-pilot, her mind still reeling and trying to re-evaluate the petite blond she'd met only hours earlier. Xander seemed quite comfortable around her, with no visible bitterness or signs of longing. Perhaps he was over it and she had become a better person. Maybe he had even found a way to get her to look his way and they'd given it a go, like herself and Ron. She sighed as she and Xander stood on the shoulder in the darkening evening.

"We really shouldn't linger outside for long. That's the fun about living in vampire central." Xander said distantly. He was still out of sorts and she felt guilty for asking him to drag up such a painful memory.

She just nodded, "I'll just need you to keep a lookout for oncoming cars. One of the biggest rules of our world is keeping the mugg... the regular folk from seeing what we can do. Just let me know that there's no one watching and I'll be able to go."

He glanced up and down the road to see a pair of headlights a reasonable distance away. In the dark of night, that person wouldn't be able to see anything but the taillights of his Chevy. He turned to give her the okay, when he was suddenly crushed by a powerful hug that he hadn't been expecting.

Her mass of bushy hair obscured his vision and he felt himself stumble a little bit, barely managing to keep his feet under him. When she let go he tried to figure out what just happened, but it was becoming too dark for him to see her properly.

"Thank you, Xander. It was very nice to meet you and I must apologize for the way I acted earlier. If you have any difficulties adjusting to your new abilities, ask Giles about how to get in contact with me. I'm muggleborn as well, which means neither of my parents before me were magical. We're still a bit of a rare phenomenon in the wizarding world. You're very special, Xander, don't forget that."

He smiled in thanks, and gave her a little wave, "Goodbye, Hermione."

The headlights had drawn a little closer, but it was still safe to say they could see nothing. With an anticlimactic pop, Hermione disappeared from before him and he was left standing on the road by himself.


	8. Back And Forth

**Accidentally Magical, or**

Xander Harris and the Brand New Start

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: Than you for all the feedback. It's encouraging to see that most people think I've done a good job so far. The story keeps on going, and I've even started adding a chapter that I hadn't really though about doing before but now seems like a good idea. So, while I said this story was mostly finished/written out already, I am still trying to do what I can to expand it and make it the best I can. Anyway, enjoy this next installment.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Eight: Back and Forth**

Xander knew better than to linger outside on an unlit stretch of roadway when you were on the outskirts of the most magically volatile and evil town on the face of the earth. He had no desire to become an appetizer for one of the undead denizens of Sunnydale, so he quickly got back in his car and locked all the doors. However, he made no move to put the car in drive and begin the trek back home.

He couldn't help but ponder just how this recent development would truly effect his life. Willow was a witch, although that was nothing new. He was a wizard. He had in him the ability to use magic, something he had never even thought possible before. He had a wand, and would probably start learning how to use it from Giles in the near future.

Did he still have to find a job, or was being a wizard a job in itself? Could he just magically create all the money he'd ever need, like Hermione had apparently done with the chairs that sat in Giles living room?

He didn't know, but he was looking forward to finding out, more than anything else before in his life. Just as protecting Buffy and Willow was a part of who he was, this too would be. He would learn how to perform magic, and then use it against the bloodsucking fiends which had taken far too many of his friends, loved ones, and innocent people in this town.

The passing of a car, which had once been a safe distance away when Hermione had disappeared into the night, made him decide he'd had enough self-reflection for tonight on that empty stretch of roadway and shifted the Chevy into drive. He cranked hard on the wheel and released the break, steering the car into an lazy u-turn that pointed him back towards the boundary of Sunnydale.

He would go home tonight, use the back stairs to enter the basement so he wouldn't have to face off with either of his parents, and he would lay down. He would try to sleep, but he knew it would not come easily. There was just too much to think about.

About a half a mile down the road, a peculiar sight caught his attention in the rear-view mirror. It looked like someone had lit some kind of firework and was waving the red sparks back and forth in the air. He wondered where that person could have come from, as the road was empty for quite a distance both ways when he'd last looked. He then realized the sparks were flying from right about where he had been parked just minutes before.

With a sudden shock, he slammed on the brakes and stared in his mirror like an idiot. He snapped out of it and whipped the Chevy around, much to it's objection, and sped on down the road to where he had watched Hermione leave. He didn't know why she might have returned, but he wasn't about to leave her out in the dangerous depths of the night for any longer than he had to. He rolled up beside her, the brakes whining in protest of his wild driving.

It was, in fact, what he had suspected. Standing there on the shoulder of the road, breathing heavily as she'd chosen to run after the car when he hadn't initially come to a stop, was a grateful looking Hermione. She reached out to pull on the door handle to find it still locked. Her pleading look told him she wished to come in.

He reached over to pull the lock, but paused, suddenly very suspicious for a mildly plausible reason. He changed his hands course for the glove box and retrieved a handy item for the streets of Sunnydale. He gestured at her with the small wooden cross and found her only reaction to be looking at him like he was mad.

He popped the lock and she eagerly climbed back into the car. Before he could ask what in the world she was doing back, she reeled on him, "What was that about?"

He just stared at her and answered, "Sunnydale. Vampires. Crosses. Not friends."

She digested his words and realization dawned on her, "It was wise to be careful, but I am most certainly not one of _them_."

"So, that's out of the way... why are you back here?" He paused and looked guilty, "Were you too late to make it back?"

She could only assume his guilt was that their little roadside conversation had caused her to be late. She admired the fact that he worried he was the cause of her predicament, but knew she had to clear it up, "Yes and no. I did make it in time to Floo out of Los Angeles... but I would have been too late for the Floo Hub, it's on the East Coast."

They sat there, the Chevy's engine begging to be put out of it's misery but continuing to function just the same, and he watched her sulk for a minute or two. He wasn't quite sure what to do. After thinking that, however, he knew exactly what to do.

He shifted the car into drive and pulled his third u-turn of the evening. The Chevy was not pleased. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hermione staring at him, so he answered her unasked question, "We're gonna head back into Sunnydale, get back to Giles' place to let them know what's up, and then we'll head back out tomorrow morning."

Her initial reaction was to declare, "You really don't need to do this for me."

He glanced at her for a moment, "Right. I'm going to leave you out on the side of the road to fend for yourself? I'm aware you don't know me all that well, but I'd hope you'd be able to tell I'm not that kind of person."

She looked at him warily, not expecting a stranger to be so ready to offer support. He didn't even really know who she was. The strange thought hit her that it was a nice change. Back in England, everyone in the wizarding world knew who she was, and any offers of help she received were unerringly a result of her fame.

No one seemed to approach her without a self-serving motive. An introduction to _the_ Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, a good word towards a prospective employer, a no-strings-attached one night stand. It seemed people were willing to do anything for a moment with the famous Hermione Granger. But she could tell this case was different. His offer of assistance seemed genuinely... genuine.

The return trip was also filled with surprisingly comfortable conversation. "So, all these eleven year old kids are shuffled to the front of a giant room filled with other kids... and they have no idea what they're in for?"

Hermione nodded, "It seems to be a common practice among magical families to keep the actual manner of sorting a secret from their children. I guess it's important for them to not have the chance to 'prepare' for it and influence their sort, but it does seem a little cruel.

"A... a friend of mine's older brothers told him for years that first years had to wrestle a troll to be sorted into their houses... He actually seemed disappointed when it just turned out to be a hat."

They shared a chuckle before Xander asked, "So, what are the houses the kids get sorted into?"

"Well, there's Gryffindor, a house renowned for the bravery and determination of it's members. Ravenclaw, which is the home of all those in pursuit of greater knowledge and understanding. Slytherin, a house with a reputation for political ambition and self-advancement as much as for backstabbing and dark dealings. Finally, Hufflepuff, known best for the loyal and hardworking nature of those who reside there."

Xander nodded, "A little something for everyone. You don't talk too kindly about Slytherin, any reason?"

Hermione looked out across the houses as they passed by, "A particularly nasty wizard from Slytherin made life for me and my friends at Hogwarts a nightmare."

Xander didn't press her for further explanation, "Good to know everybody has their own, personal Cordelia Chase to deal with. So, what house were you sorted into?"

"Gryffindor," Hermione stated proudly, "Harry, Ron, and myself were all sorted there that first night at Hogwarts. We spent the remainder of our years there nearly inseparable save a few hard times while Voldemort sought his return to power." She was quite for a moment, "At first, I wasn't certain why the sorting hat put me into Gryffindor...

"I had believed myself almost a perfect example of the Ravenclaw ideals. Now, though, I can see exactly why I became a Gryffindor that day. In Ravenclaw, I would have never gotten anywhere near Harry, and would never have understood the struggle he was to go through." She couldn't seem to finish her thought, but he didn't need her to.

"I get what you mean. If I'd never been in that library that day to overhear Buffy and Giles meeting for the first time... I'd never have jump head first into this whole supernatural mumbo jumbo. I might be dead, or worse, and I can't imagine a world without Buffy or Willow. I've given up a lot of things since this all started, but I know that I'm better off because of it. So, yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about." Their conversation was cut short when they arrived at Giles' place once again.

Upon entering the apartment, they found that Buffy had returned from her patrol and was discussing what she'd encountered with Giles. When Buffy saw them, she was immediately on her feet and looking the two of them over, "What's wrong? Why is Hermione still here?"

"We were just a bit too late for me to make the Floo out of the country..." Hermione seemed a bit embarrassed, "I forgot that America is divided into different time zones, and that the East Coast is several hours later than here on the West Coast... Great Britain is essentially a time zone in itself... I feel foolish."

Xander spoke up, "Hey, don't be... I never really got the whole time zone thing anyway. Always trying to figure out 'am I later than Boston, or am I earlier?'" He soon realized his attempted joke was failing miserably, "Y'know what? I'll be quiet now."

Hermione smiled to show him she appreciated his attempt, "So, I'll need to head back out tomorrow morning to try again."

Xander turned to his friends, "I told her we'd fill you in and then we'd find her a place to stay."

"I'm assume there's a hotel here that I can rent a room for the night..." Hermione began, but was interrupted by Giles.

"You'll do no such thing... the hotels in this town are dodgy at best, and there's no telling what sort might be residing in them."

"I don't wish to be a bother." Hermione wasn't sure where this would go.

"It would be no trouble for you to stay in the spare room here." He saw the look all three gave him, "Miss Granger, you are well aware of my history and that I will be unable to undo any locking charms you might put in place." After making this offer, though, Giles took a moment to second guess his keenness and spoke again, "Perhaps I am not being objective... Buffy, would you be willing to ask your mother about allowing Hermione use of the spare room there?" Buffy quickly agreed to stop by the house on her way back to the dorms.

Hermione was taken aback at the willingness of all these people to accommodate her situation without the slightest hesitation and no real personal gain involved. She honestly didn't feel comfortable imposing on a family she barely knew, though, and reluctantly accepted to stay at Giles'.

She looked to Buffy, "It's not that I don't appreciate that you'd go and ask your mother, Buffy, but I'd rather not impose on any more people than I have to. I would like to meet her at some point, though, if time allows."

Buffy smiled, "I think she'd like you. She runs an art gallery in town," Buffy saw Hermione's eyes light up at the mention of art, "If you're ever in town again, maybe we can go meet her there sometime." She then led the way to the extra room, "Now, let's get you set up in the spare room... I know for a fact that Giles doesn't have it prepared for a normal person to stay in."


	9. Along The Way

**Accidentally Magical, or**

**Xander Harris and the Brand New Start**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: Thanks continue to go out for the feedback, it's awesome. Yet another chapter is released. I'll let out a warning here that the timeline for Buffy Season 4 is going to be messed around with quite a bit in the future. Some things are going to be happening a lot earlier than they originally did, and some things aren't going to happen at all. Just a heads up. Alright, on with the adventure.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Nine: Along The Way**

She woke up the next morning to find Giles sipping his morning tea while reading a book. Xander, who had chosen to sleep over to be able to drive her out of town as early as possible, was sprawled out on the couch. He was snoring, but it was nothing compared to Ron Weasley's 'chainsaw in an echo chamber' snore.

"Good morning." Giles acknowledged.

Hermione jumped a little, "Oh, yes, good morning."

"Would you like some tea?" Giles offered kindly.

She took a seat in one of the chairs she'd conjured the day before. It would still be a little while before they vanished back to where they'd come from, "Yes, I'd like that." He tipped over a cup and filled it from his tea service.

They sat in silence for several minutes, Giles resumed reading his book and Hermione enjoyed the tea as she continued to wake up. Finally she decided to fill the silence with a few questions she had, "It's quite a motley crew you've assembled here."

Giles looked up from his book, and smiled faintly, "Yes, it is. Although it seemed to form itself more than anything."

"Really?" She was genuinely curious, "How did it come about?"

Giles was thoughtful for a moment, "If anything, it would be Buffy who pulled us all together. She came here by chance, on the wishes of her mother who was anxious for a change. She brought Buffy along and entered her in school." He paused to sip some tea, "Once word reached the Council of her move, they dispatched me to Sunnydale in order to contact her and continue her training." He shook his head, "I imagine you already know that much, from viewing my memories."

She nodded politely, "Yes, I did, but it is a part of the story."

"Right. During the first week that Buffy was here, a vampire called The Master was seeking to rise from his prison beneath the city. In the process, a dear friend of both Xander and Willow was taken captive and turned into a vampire. In the end, Buffy thwarted the Master's plan, but Xander was forced to stake his friend. From that point on, they both refused to stand by as Buffy fought the dark alone. Along the way several other allies have come and gone, but both Willow and Xander have remained through it all."

She wasn't quite sure where she was going with her questions, "They've remained loyal, but have they always gotten along?"

Giles regarded her for a moment, also unsure where her questions were going, "Not always, no. There have been certain... issues, which have gotten between them, but overall they've been able to overcome them."

Hermione continued, "Can you give an example of one of these issues?"

Giles was becoming uncomfortable with the conversation, "Would you mind if I inquired why this is of importance?"

Hermione had to scramble to find an excuse, even as she was asking herself the same question. Suddenly it came to her, "Mr. Giles, it is simply a matter of becoming familiar with the people I'm dealing with. I've just given instruments of extraordinary power to a few of your charges, and I am simply making sure that they won't become a liability; to my employer or to each other. It would be most unfortunate if a disagreement would lead to further investigation from the Ministry."

Giles just looked at her for a moment, before conceding, "I suppose the most... volatile issue that has come up so far has been... Angel."

Hermione feigned ignorance, "Angel? Is that a person?"

Giles blanched, "In a manner of speaking." He took a deep breath, "Angel is a vampire, although he has been reunited with his soul via a curse cast by a gypsy clan that his previous form, Angelus, wronged gravely."

Hermione's eyes widened, recognizing the name from her History of Magic class and finally made the connection, "_Angelus_? You've been dealing with Angelus?" Hermione mentally scoured her recollections of all the memories she'd had to sort through from Mr. Giles' life. When she came up blank, she wondered why that entry had been omitted from her list of events to look over. She would be having words with the Council of Watchers when she returned to England.

Giles seemed puzzled about this himself but still responded, "When in possession of his soul, Angel is every bit as remorseful as a normal human would be for his past actions. Out of his guilt for the people he killed during his reign of terror, he has vowed to seek redemption and atone for his mistakes."

Hermione bit down her skepticism over the reliability of such a horrible creature and continued, "And how did Angelus become an issue?"

Giles could sense that she was barely containing her dissatisfaction, "In much the same way as you seem dubious of _Angel_'s trustworthiness, certain members of our group saw fit to dispute it. This became rather...complicated, as Buffy grew quite fond of him."

Hermione spoke before thinking, "She fell in love with him."

Giles did a double take, "Y-yes, that is accurate. Their relationship seemed to cloud Buffy's judgment when it came to certain matters, and it cause a dramatic rift between her and her friends. Even after the...situation was remedied, the distrust still persisted."

Hermione ignored the edge that had crept into Giles' voice as he picked up on her line of reasoning, "For the record, who was it that opened the issue of Angel's dependability?"

Giles cast a glace to the couch were Xander was still snoring, "That would be Xander. From the first moment he laid eyes on Angel, he felt compelled to distrust him even after he helped the group on numerous occasions."

"Perhaps because of what he'd seen vampires do to his best friend?" Hermione posited.

Giles' eyes narrowed, "Yes, perhaps, although his distrust of the man extended to even before we became aware that he was a vampire."

Hermione decided that she'd pressed the issue a little bit too far and was very close to drawing the ire of the man before her, "Would you say that this matter has resolved itself, or still exists?"

Giles sighed, "I'm not sure the matter will ever really rest, not so long as Angel is around, but it has... _subsided_. Just before the summer began, Angel chose to exile himself away from Buffy to resist the temptation which would again endanger the world. After he left, things seemed to heal remarkably."

Hermione nodded, closing the discussion, "Very well." She looked at a nearby clock and saw that the Ministry office in LA would be opening soon, so it would be a good idea to get on the road shortly. She stood up and crossed the space to the couch. She looked down at Xander for a moment, his face relaxed and his mouth hanging open, drooling slightly.

She reached down and prodded his shoulder, which got no response. She tried again, and he still remained unmoved. She decided to try one last time, pointing her fingers as sharply as she could. The jab caught his collarbone squarely, and he flung himself forward and nearly collided foreheads with Hermione, "Fluffy bunnies!" He looked blearily around at his surroundings while rubbing his shoulder, "What the...?"

"It's morning, Xander." Hermione stated.

He'd pinched his eyes closed, trying to keep out the light, "I kinda noticed... what time is it?"

Giles came to stand next to Hermione behind the couch, "Just a bit before eight o'clock. Some tea?"

Xander cautiously grabbed the cup and saucer presented to him, "Did you..."

"Put more sugar in it than is healthy? Yes, of course." Giles responded with an amused tone.

Xander grinned, "Come to daddy!" He then took a tentative sip. Hermione chuckled at his jubilation at the sugar intake, "Now if I could just get you to stock Twinkies."

"We should be getting on the road soon." Hermione reminded.

"Eager to run away from this evil, evil place?" Xander theorized without looking at her, "Or maybe from us crazy people?"

Hermione looked startled, "No, of course not!"

He looked at her apologetically, "I was kidding. I know you're anxious to get home. I can understand that, even if I don't share the sentiment." She was confused, had he just said he wished her to stay?

"What?" She asked dumbly.

He didn't seem to realize her quandary, "Y'know how they say 'home is where the heart is'? Not so much with me. Especially not when I'm living in the basement and being charged rent." He didn't seem all that upset by the concept, but she imagined he might be good at hiding it by now. She felt for him the same way she felt for Harry upon learning what the Dursley's had done to him.

"Oh...well...I'm sorry..." She was lost for words.

He just shrugged as he finished his tea, "Don't be, I'm not really. Just motivation to get things together, is all." The infectious smile was back, "Alright, so it's road trip time? Let's get to it." He hopped up off the couch, obviously feeling the caffeine entering his bloodstream already.

They exited the apartment and made their way back to Xander's Chevy. Once again he leapt ahead of her to open her door. Hermione was dreading the ride, as the car sounded worse today than it had the day before. It was obviously not appreciative of Xander's antics on the roadway. It chugged along, begging to be put out of it's misery.

After a few minutes of silence, a question Hermione was unknowingly dying to ask left her lips, "Why do you fight alongside Buffy?"

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, "Does this have anything to do with our conversation last night?"

"A little... I just wondered... after what she did, how could you stand to be around her? After she left you to be with a vampire?"

He contemplated his answer before posing a question back at her, "That friend of yours, who had to fight that Voldemort... you said you helped keep him alive, right? Did he ever do anything that pissed you off?" She nodded, "Alright, when that happened... did you decide to quit and let him fend for himself?"

"No, I couldn't...he was my friend and I couldn't let him face Voldemort alone." Hermione answered immediately.

"Exactly. Was my heart crushed that night? Yeah, definitely. Was I pissed that Buffy chose Angel over me? You're damn right. Was I about to risk her dying because I wasn't there to do what needed to be done? Not a chance. This whole thing is so much bigger than me it's ridiculous, but I can't imagine my life _without_ it anymore. I can't turn my back because of some bruised feelings."

Hermione was simply speechless. How was it possible for this young man to possess such a duality that one could swear he was actually two separate people? One minute he was making bad jokes and acting like an over-sized child, the next he was being noble and wise beyond his years.

Before long, they were at the same spot by the road they had stopped at the previous evening. It seemed much different in the broad daylight than it had in the growing dark of night. They stood awkwardly for a moment, before Xander suddenly pulled her into a hug. Hermione had to fight the urge to crush him as she had the night before, once again feeling for the poor boy who was in over his head by choice.

He smiled and waved a little, "Just in case I'll hang around here for a few minutes so you don't have to flag me down again." They both laughed and Hermione nodded and waved back. He watched her disappear again and returned to his car. He figured he'd wait ten or fifteen minutes and then head back to town

He wasn't sure why, but he was going to miss her. At first he felt awkward around her, as she was very prim and proper and seemed to have the stick firmly stuck up her backside like most of the British people he'd ever met. She definitely reminded him of Wesley Wyndam-Pryce when he had the nerve to come in and try to be The Watcher.

She warmed up, though, and it was this person she had started to become that he was going to miss. She readily told him anything he wanted to know about the wizarding world and even seemed to enjoy the ability to lecture. In a way he owed her for bringing this amazing new world to him.

He looked at the inlaid clock in the Chevy's dashboard and saw he'd been there long enough. He turned the key to start his baby up only to see Hermione pop back onto the roadside, "Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me!" He hopped out of the car and leaned against the roof, "I know we might have said you could drop back here anytime you wanted, but I figured you'd at least give it a couple of weeks."

Hermione looked quite annoyed, "Not funny. This is turning out to be a horrible day."

Xander immediately looked remorseful,"What happened?"

"It seems America has it's share of wizarding problems as well. A band of dark wizards are causing quite a commotion, and until they've been caught the Ministry has banned all out-of-country travel. I'm _stranded_." Her disappointment at being stuck in a strange country was evident.

After taking her to get some breakfast, he rolled into the parking lot of Giles' apartment building and made the trek back to his front door. After knocking, it swung open to reveal the two of them and a completely confused Giles stared back at them.

"I tried to get rid of her, Giles, but she followed me home again. I even took all these twists and turns on the way back here, but I just couldn't shake her." Xander joked, before grinning widely, "Can we keep her?" He received a smack on the arm from Hermione, but was pleased to see a hint of a smile on her lips.

Giles had made his way over and asked again what was going on, "Is everything alright?" Hermione was still surprised to hear such concern from a man she'd only really just met. Of course, she was more than familiar with the kind of man he had grown to be and shouldn't have been surprised at all.

"A bit of a situation cropped up when I arrived at the Ministry office. I was telling Xander that a group of dark wizards are going on bit of a rampage and international travel has been shut down until they can be subdued. Which means I'm stuck in America until then." She still sounded quite disappointed.


	10. Trial By Fire

**Accidentally Magical, or**

Xander Harris and the Brand New Start

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Rating: PG-14 (nothing worse than the source materials)

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: Thanks continue to go out for the feedback, it's much appreciated. Not much to say about this really. We're almost to the part in the series where I start really getting into a groove, in my opinion. If you can just hang with me, it'll be worth it. Alright, on with the adventure.

Feedback: Yes, please. Writing is an ever evolving process and your constructive criticism can be invaluable to a rusty author. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Ten: Trial By Fire**

When Xander asked how she would know when the restrictions were lifted, she responded that the Ministry office had instructions to owl her a letter when it happened. Xander, who hadn't been present for the previous owl delivery, responded in curiosity as his eyes widened briefly, "Owl? You mean, like, an _actual_ owl?" She couldn't help but chuckle at his youthful curiosity. She explained that yes, indeed, an actual owl would be sent with a letter for her.

As Hermione waited for word from the Ministry that she was allowed to return to England, she first made sure to send off an message to her employer, Mr. Ollivander, explaining the situation to him and apologizing for it. He had replied back shortly thereafter that she would be welcomed back when the time came and her hours were covered. It helped that they were in the slowest part of their year. The students were already off to Hogwarts, and only a handful of people ever came in to purchase a completely new wand.

Once that was off her conscience, took the opportunity to lounge about, as much as she ever really could anyway. She was quite eager to browse Giles' collection of books, most especially the ones on demonology, a subject she'd never had the chance to explore. It amazed her that so many creatures existed which weren't contained within the books in the Hogwarts library.

Giles was more than happy to explain things which the books left vague, impressing her with his wealth of knowledge. Her time there was also giving her an opportunity to get to know the individuals who frequented Giles' apartment, who were each very unique people.

She could see a lot of herself in Willow; her mousy bookishness and underlying shyness, little-by-little coming out of her shell every day. Her conversations with the redhead were always filled with barely contained exuberance, as if she were constantly ready to explode with excitement.

She could tell the girl was bursting with questions about the wizarding world, but was having trouble working up the nerve to ask. She even saw the calming effect her boyfriend Oz had on her, even without saying a word, as he rarely did.

Everyone seemed enthused about the potential applications for the ability to brew their own potions that would provide benefits not available through normal medicine. Xander seemed unusually interested in the bruise-healing salve, though he wouldn't go into detail about why. Giles was already picking Hermione's brain in regards to other, more potent healing concoctions to help them all recover from particularly vicious battles.

That was one thing that alarmed Hermione about these individuals. They seemed to be fighting alone against an almost insurmountable force that had the ability to replenish it's losses on an almost nightly basis. How they managed to wage this secret war and retain their sanity she could barely understand.

Even after Voldemort's rise to power, they'd had the support of numerous allies and a vast array of spells and counter-curses to draw from. All these people had most times were their bare hands and a refusal to back down.

She quickly came to realize one reason these people hadn't gone mad in their fight against the dark; Xander. What had started out as his annoying tendancy to say wholly inappropriate things at the oddest of times, she soon began to see for what it was. An attempt to break the tension.

Whether he realized it or not, he took every opportunity that he could to lighten all their moods and prevent them from being consumed by the darkness they were surrounded by. It was an admirable trait he shared with Ron, although more often than not Ron shoved his foot firmly down his throat moments later.

She'd also had an opportunity to observe Buffy, and was pleased to see she did seem a much better person than the one who crushed Xander's feelings not long after they'd met. She seemed just as close to both Willow and Xander as she herself had been with Harry and Ron at Hogwarts.

There was an unspoken bond between them that seemed as solid as stone. They always shared the moments that they could together, trying to pretend they were still children and didn't have the burden of the world on their shoulders.

Hermione couldn't help but feel for the girl, carrying a responsibility much like Harry had under the threat of Voldemort. There was a definite 'world-on-your-shoulders' air to her stance, but when she sat with her friends it seemed to melt away.

She now had a decent working knowledge of Slayer lore, thanks to Giles' allowing her to read through his collection, and she understood that the outlook was not good for the girls who had been chosen. Still, Buffy had collected a strong core of friends who were every bit determined to see her survive as she was herself. It made her long for the days when the Golden Trio of Hogwarts was that solid.

Her thoughts suddenly returned to Xander. If she were asked, she would have to admit he seemed a startling amalgamation of her two best friends. Xander showed a fierce determination towards his friends that she knew to be one of Harry's driving forces.

He was unerringly loyal and sought to protect those he cared for. He showed a strong sense of empathy and rationality, even as he was exhibiting his childish side. His sense of humor and childlike enthusiasm definitely made her think of Ron, who had simply refused to grow up.

Thinking of Ron again hurt more than she would care to acknowledge. Her break up with Ron just a few months prior had not been pretty, but then again neither had the relationship itself. Constant bickering and stubborn refusals to compromise had finally been enough for her.

No children had been born of the two of them, a fact she was thankful for, as she couldn't imagine raising a child in such an unstable environment. She had accepted that they were both at fault for the break down of their relationship, however Ron had not.

He placed the responsibility squarely on her, asserting he had done everything possible to make it work. This had put a strain on her friendship with Harry, as well. Even though he took it objectively and agreed that they both were to blame, it still made it difficult for him to maintain both friendships when neither was willing to occupy the same space for any amount of time.

She was grateful to him for sticking by her, but almost wished he would give one or the other up so he wouldn't be stretched limb from limb by their obstinacy.

Over the next several days, still with no word from the Ministry, she continued to look through Giles' books to find many texts she had never even heard of. They piqued her interest and had her writing down names to try and track down copies when she returned to England.

While no owls from the Ministry arrived, correspondance from the American Ministry of Magic had arrived in regards to both Willow and Xander's disclosure as wizards. They were very curious as to the circumstances behind the revelation, as it was unusual for a wizard to go undetected by their own means for such a long time, and even more unusual for the discovery to be made by a wand salesperson traveling abroad.

She could tell by reading the letter that a bureaucratic nightmare was on the way, as there would be all sorts of questions about just why she happened to be visiting this particular household and just how she managed to reveal not one but _two_ previously unknown magical folk.

In addition to an inquiry from the Ministry, which she seriously hoped would be curtailed by Minister Shacklebolt from her own Ministry, it appeared that their admittance to any of the regional wizarding academies would be delayed as term had already started.

She wasn't surprised by this, as her late birthday had prevented her from attending Hogwarts the year she found out she was a witch. This still disappointed her, though, as she knew very well that it would be undeniably advantageous for the two of them to begin learning magic as soon as possible.

It was because of this rationalization that she decided to make a potentially career-threatening but beyond any doubt necessary move. She would help Mr. Giles teach Willow and Xander the basics of spell casting, as well as a few select incantations that could very well help save their lives each and every night. She really didn't know what was possessing her, but in the end it didn't matter. Once she'd set her mind to something, it was going to get done.

Her determination to help them in dealing with the darkness they faced came when she herself was faced with it. Almost a week into her stay, she had finally convinced them to start allowing her to come along on what they had termed a 'patrol.' It sounded to her as if it was as routine a function as the rounds the prefects did in the halls of Hogwarts every evening. Go out and check to make sure no one was up to no good. What she had gotten herself into was nothing of the sort.

Buffy was a sight to behold, the grace with which she moved truly astounding. She went toe-to-toe with vile looking creatures and was pounding them like someone twice her size. Make that three times her size, actually, she was really quite small. It seemed as if all the others did on these patrols was spectate.

It wasn't until a vampire managed a lucky hit that sent Buffy to the ground did she begin to see the supporting roles they all played. They worked together to dust the many vampires they encountered each night.

One particular evening, Hermione was paired with Xander and Willow while Buffy and Giles covered another part of the same cemetery. The split-up of their numbers came about when Hermione proved her spell casting abilities made her a formidable opponent in her own right. In addition, she could work with the two youths on battlefield casting. Anything that prepared them for the practical use of their magic was considered a good thing.

So, as the trio patrolled a typically quiet portion of the graveyard, they were caught off-guard as a vampire dropped out of a nearby tree onto Willow, causing her to cry out. It then closed in on its pray with a wide, toothy grin until a mass of limbs pounced on its back and drew its attention elsewhere. Hermione quickly realized the limbs belonged to Xander, who had foolishly jumped into the fray in an attempt to keep the monster from hurting Willow.

She watched in horror as he was easily grabbed and slammed to the earth by the inhuman beast. It quickly snatched him up by the throat and held up in the air, choking the life right out of him. Willow was still sprawled out on the ground recovering from her recent collision, and Xander was turning an alarming shade of purple as the monster slowly crushed his windpipe. In the distance, Buffy had heard Willow's cry and was making a beeline for their position but was just too far away to be able to make it in time.

The vampire suddenly erupted in flames and Xander was dropped unceremoniously to the grass below. He was coughing fiercely, as he rolled back and forth to put out a fire that had started consuming his shirt. In all, the entire confrontation took only a matter of seconds.

Buffy arrived at their location a few moments later, and Giles could be seen making his way behind her. Willow, finally back to good after her spill, took the chance to glance around for the source of the fire to find Hermione facing the scene with her wand drawn. She suddenly became self-conscious and replaced her wand in it's holster.

Nobody said anything for a time, while Buffy helped Xander to his feet and made sure he was no longer ablaze. Giles and Willow were replaying the whole scene in their mind's eyes, until Willow suddenly exclaimed, "That was _so_ cool!"


	11. Filling In The Blanks

**Accidentally Magical**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, the Buffy ones belong to Joss Whedon and Co. while Harry Potter and friends are property of J.K. Rowling. The only thing I lay claim to is the excruciating torture I put them through... and I'm sure they love me for it.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Author's Note: Alright, here we go. Xander's first hands-on experience with magic. This is where the story starts really picking up. Don't have a whole lot else to say at the moment, other than to tease that next chapter we'll venture into a specific episode from Buffy Season 4. Enjoy.

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

**Chapter Eleven: Filling In The Blanks**

So Hermione had consented to help Giles begin instructing both Willow and Xander in the basics of magic so they would be more capable of helping out if and when Buffy was struck temporarily vulnerable in the future. Upon seeing his difficulty with teaching two vastly different students at one time, she even agreed to take a more active role in the training.

Xander stopped by on a near daily basis, sometimes even before and after work on the same day. While Giles continued coaching Willow and helping her to familiarize herself with using the wand as a focusing tool, Hermione sat down with Xander and went over the basics of witchcraft that she had learned during her first year at Hogwarts.

She couldn't imagine this was going to be easy for Xander, as he was severely behind any wizard she had ever met. She'd been learning about magic since she was eleven, but he was almost twenty and only just starting. She tried to keep her methods simple and easy to understand, citing Harry and Ron's frequent complaints that she spoke an entirely different language when discussing magic.

To her delight, Xander was picking up on things quite well for someone so far behind. She complimented him on his rapid grasp of the basics, to which he mumbled something about having a good teacher. She blushed but proceeded on with the current lesson.

"Alright, Xander, today I'm going to teach you how to perform a levitating charm." She indicated the conjured feather sitting on the floor between them. They sat cross-legged, facing each other a couple of feet apart. After a moments pause, she continued, "The incantion is Wingardium Leviosa, and the wand movements are like this." She then showed him the swish and flick that had gotten on the nerves of Ron Weasley their first year.

Xander digested it and watched as she performed the movements several times, "Wingardium Leviosa, got it." He then gave the swish and flick various tries. When he believed he had it down, he spoke aloud, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The feather made no move whatsoever. Hermione knew immediately what he'd done wrong, but bit her tongue. If it was anyone else, she would have immediately corrected them and shown them their mistake. However, she had quickly learned that this method didn't work with Xander.

If you pushed his mistakes in his face, he would get flustered and lose his focus. That would only lead to more mistakes. Instead, she watched him. He was going over the memory in his head, trying to work out what was wrong.

He performed the swish and flick several more times, never uttering a word, simply focusing on his actions. After a minute, he seemed satisfied with his gesturing and moved one to what else he could have done improperly. Out of the blue, "I think I said it wrong."

When he looked to her, she confirmed it with a nod. Now she felt comfortable in correcting him, "Yes, it's Win-_gard_-ium Levi-_o_-sa."

"Win-_gard_-ium Levi-_o_-sa. Win-_gard_-ium Levi-_o_-sa. Alright, let's try this again." He resumed his intensely focus expression and gestured with his wand again, "Win_gard_ium Levi_o_sa!"

The feather shakily began rising off the floor and floated about an inch off the table. Hermione smiled and admired how he hadn't broken his concentration to celebrate. After levitating the feather for a minute, he slowly set it back down and finally ended the spell. Only then did he break out in a grin so wide she swore she could see all his teeth.

Hermione was quick to compliment him, "Very good, Xander." His pride was evident and she gave him a moment to bask in it before continuing, "Now, in just a minute I'll let you practice the spell and work on getting it higher and higher in the air, but first we need to examine the practicality of this charm. Please tell me how Wingardium Leviosa would be useful in battle."

He stopped his silent celebration and returned to his focused look, "Well, you could pick things up and drop them on the vamps. Oh! If I can learn to move things fast enough, I could be like my own crossbow. I could fling stakes through the air and take out vamps from a distance."

"Yes, I suppose you could." She smiled, "You can start practicing the charm some more, just remember not to lose your concentration and willing it to move higher is just as important as using your wand as a pointer." He nodded and immediately got the feather to levitate again, before he started lifting it higher in the air before setting it back down and starting over again.

When they weren't training, Xander eagerly listened while Hermione explained they way things were in the wizarding world. She explained Quidditch, at least as best as she could, the Ministry, St. Mungos, and much more. She couldn't help grinning when his eyes widened like saucers every time she moved on to a new topic. She got a little upset with him when she started talking about house-elf rights.

At first, he seemed rather unmoved by their plight. "If they're happy to serve people, why rock the boat?"

He knew immediately that he'd said the wrong thing. She almost told him off, but collected herself and explained, "It's not really that they're _happy_ to serve. I mean, I'm sure they take pride in their work, but it's more a matter of it being all they know. It isn't their choice to serve a family, typically it's their birthright, they're born into a contract they never agreed to.

"They spend their entire lives being told that they were to put their master's needs above all else, even their own, to the point where some would let themselves die simply to fulfill their master's wish. Not for any noble cause, just to die of malnutrition and sleep deprivation because they didn't want to let their master down.

She stopped to take a breath before continuing, "They aren't given any sort of choice in the matter, if they really want to serve at all. And if they don't obey their master's commands, they would be severely punished. They're even conditioned to punish _themselves_ if they even think they aren't being completely faithful to their owner."

Xander paled at the mention of that, so much so that Hermione wondered if punishment was a concept he was at least somewhat familiar with. Once she mentioned that, his position flipped almost instantly, "That's not cool! How could anybody do that to someone?"

As pained as his words were, she couldn't help but smile inwardly at his reference to elves as more than just creatures. She was heartened to see his almost trademark fierce determination behind his words. Perhaps she had just found an ally to her cause here on American soil. They continued to discuss her championing of house elf rights, and he promised that he'd help in whatever way he could.

He didn't really think he'd be able to have much of an effect since he had no clout in the wizarding world, but the least he could do was talk kindly of the elves with any wizard he met. Hopefully the sentiment would carry it's way into important households.

Hermione longed to ask him about his paling at the mention of punishment, but didn't believe it was really her business. She was a stranger after all. But was she? Over a week now she'd been stranded in Sunnydale, spending almost all of her waking hours in the company of these people. She'd come to know things about them, what made them who they were, and she couldn't claim that they would never cross her mind after she left, especially Xander.

A small part of her liked the fact that she'd chosen to stay in the spare room of Mr. Giles' apartment. She wasn't sure if Xander would stop by Buffy's home nearly as often as he did here. This thought surprised her, but she didn't express it outwardly.

After she and Xander had finished discussed the practical applications of the levitation charm both in and out of battle, Willow and Oz returned from their latest trip to round up the last of the ingredients needed for the Potions aspect of Willow's training. Willow triumphantly held up a small sack containing the last thing Hermione had requested. Hermione excused herself after telling Xander to keep practicing the charm.

While she followed Willow and Oz over to an area of the room Willow had nicknamed the Cauldron Corner, Giles took a seat next to Xander who was concentrating on the feather he was attempting to raise even higher up in the air. Giles had never imagined the young man would ever have a desire to study and practice like he had developed since finding out he was a wizard. He almost appeared desperate to learn as much as he could, as quickly as he could.

He had a suspicion as to why he was so eager to envelope himself in the magical world, but wasn't sure quite how to broach the subject with him. He didn't want to botch it up and ruin the chance that Xander would open up to him, so for the time being he simply tried to get to know the young man even more, just as he'd promised.

"So, Xander, how are your lessons going?" Giles started carefully.

Xander pulled his nose from the book and grinned foolishly, "Great! Hermione is amazing!" He blanched, "Uh, she's an amazing teacher! It's hard to believe I'm really a part of this wizard stuff. I just thought I was the normal guy."

Giles smiled faintly himself, "You've always been an exceptional young man, Xander. I'm just sorry I never took the opportunity to tell you."

Xander looked understanding, "It's okay, Giles. Up until a week ago we all pretty much thought all I'd ever be was normal. Besides, you've totally made up for any of that this week. I still owe you for my wand, and I intend to pay you back someday. I just gotta figure out a way to make the money for it. Especially since Hermione says I can't just literally _make_ money. That was a bummer."

"I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement," Giles conceded, already having several arguments with the young man over the issue. He mustered his courage, hoping to tap into any elements of a Gryffindor he might have inside him, before asking, "Is there, uh, anything you'd like to discuss with me, Xander?"

The young man looked up again, not quite clear on his meaning. He caught the look in Giles' eyes, and the fact that they motioned in the direction of Hermione as she added another ingredient to the cauldron in the aptly named Cauldron Corner. Any other time he might have simply blushed and mumbled something before running away.

Now, however, he actually felt that Giles was concerned about him, not just for show. He didn't want to turn the man away coldly, as this newfound companionship they'd developed was something he'd hoped would come about for years.

It was difficult not having Jesse around to talk about guy stuff with, and Oz just wasn't much of a talk guy period. The opportunity for Giles to act as a mentor and adviser was a very appealing concept to him.

He suddenly realized he had probably gone vacant for a few moments and sought to get back on track, "Maybe but, uh, not right _now_. But definitely maybe."

Giles nodded in understanding and picked up a book of his own, "All you need to do is ask."

Xander stole a glance in the direction of Cauldron Corner and found his eyes briefly making contact with Hermione's as she looked between Willow and Oz as she gave instructions. He smiled shyly before quickly looking back down at his book. He would definitely be asking Giles for advice very soon.


	12. Don't Say A Word: Part One

**Accidentally Magical**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Thanks again for all the reviews so far. Short and sweet this time, cause the next four chapters are a doozy. Such a big deal, for me at least, that I'll be releasing the **next four chapters** every other day. One thing of note is the dialogue in these chapters. Italics in these chapters now represent what is _said_ or _written_ but not heard. You'll get what I mean in short order if you've seen Buffy season 4. _Extra Note - Thanks to JanessaRavenwood for pointing out a rather large oversight on my part, I've tried to fix it as best as I could._

**Chapter Twelve: Don't Say A Word – Part One: Silence Is Golden**

The gang was gathered around in Giles' living room, listening to Hermione lecture about the fundamentals of magic, "So this is what it is.. talking about magic, talking about incantations... not the same thing. It's about inspiration... Not the spell, but the moment before the spell when it blossoms in your mind and connects to everything. It's about the thoughts and experiences that we don't have a word for." She considered them for a moment, "A demonstration, perhaps."

Giles spoke up, "Buffy, if you could come and sit here on the floor please?" She looked around at the others for a moment before she complied.

Hermione resumed her lecture as she circled around Buffy, who now sat cross-legged on the floor, "A typical young girl, one would assume." She looked to Buffy, "Today we'll have Willow levitate you."

Buffy's gaze snapped up to the lecturing witch, "What?" Willow had been practicing on feathers so far, and had a tendency to send them crashing into the surroundings which often times meant Buffy. Was she really ready to be lifting a person?

"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe," Giles assured her from his seat at his desk. "Not for the feathers it wasn't," Buffy pointed out, but a mild glare from her ex-Watcher made her comply. She settled herself into a lotus position and waited. "Willow, if you would oblige," Hermione instructed. The redhead nodded and began gesturing with her wand as she incanted, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

Buffy felt herself beginning to rise up off the floor, and she nervously squeezed her eyes shut. She knew she should have more faith in her best friend, but she had been witness to a number of her mishaps and wasn't keen on becoming one of them. Still, she remained relaxed and allowed her friend the chance to prove herself. After a minute or two she was glad to note she had made contact with no hard surfaces and swayed only a time or three. She felt confident enough to compliment her friend, "Good job, Wills. Can I be let down now?" In response, she was promptly dropped out of mid-air on her rear end, causing her to cry out in pain.

Buffy threw her eyes open and complained, "Hey, what's the big idea dropping me on my a..." She was faced with a dark, empty version of Giles' living room. She extracted herself from the lotus position and climbed to her feet, "Where'd everybody go?" Her attention was caught by a noise that seemed to come from outside Giles' door. She made her way over, keeping her eyes peeled on the surroundings. Something didn't feel right about this. Opening the door to the apartment, she looked out into the darkened courtyard to find nothing. She turned to look back into Giles' place to make sure there was nothing behind her, when the giggles of a little girl made her snap back to the courtyard.

The girl, wearing a flora patterned sun dress, was skipping in a circle around the courtyard. In her hand was a small, intricately decorated, box which she gripped firmly. As she hopped about, she began chanting an oddly creepy rhyme, "Can't even shout, can't even cry; the Gentlemen are coming by. Looking in windows, knocking on doors; They need to take seven and they might take yours." The girl suddenly stopped directly in front of Buffy and turned to face her, "Can't call to mom, can't say a word; You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard."

Buffy began to say something sarcastic about what she just saw, but found she had no voice to speak with. Suddenly, a hand clapped down on her shoulder and she immediately spun around to get a handle on the attacker. She was faced with a grotesquely featured man in a dark suit, wearing a distorted grin that sent a shiver up her spine. She immediately began trying to break free of the grasp...

She awoke with a start, as well as a scream. She immediately noticed it was paired with the scream of someone else, and came back to her senses. She was in Giles' living room again, surrounded by her friends, and was pinning Xander to the floor with an elbow jammed into his shoulder as she held him to the ground. She was awfully close to the breaking point and instantly released her hold and helped him up, "Xander! I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

Though pained, Xander still managed to grimace out, "I'll let you know when the feeling returns to my arm... I'll know better than to wake you up from a daydream from now on."

"What?" Buffy responded, dumbfounded.

Willow, seated on her other side, answered for him as he tried to work the kinks out of his nearly broken arm, "You dozed off, Buffy. Giles and Hermione were talking to Xander and I about some magic stuff and you must have gotten bored. Xander tried to wake you up and you kinda flipped out and pinned him to the ground."

Buffy turned to Xander and apologized again, "Sorry again, Xan."

He cracked a weak smile, "Really, it's fine. Valuable life lesson I learned right there. Let sleeping Slayers lie." He looked to his friend, "So, what's ass were you kicking in that dream?"

"I... I'm not sure. It was really weird, this little girl was singing a creepy little tune... and then I was grabbed by a freaksome looking guy in a suit. That's the point that you tried to wake me," She explained.

"I'm probably lucky that was all I got from you, then. Buffy in mid-slay is not good to get in the way of," Xander commented. He took a look at his watch, "Crap, I need to get to work right now... they won't like it if I'm late again. I'll catch you guys later." He grabbed his coat and headed for the door, still flexing his shoulder to get a little feeling back.

Willow gathered her books, "I should go, too. I'm meeting with a Wiccan group today. It's gonna be so cool to meet some other witches and swap stories. It'll be like I'm at the wizarding school Hermione says I'll be going to eventually." Willow was her usually Willow-self, more enthusiastic than a normal person should be.

Buffy smiled, "Good luck, Wills. Don't forget to scout them for evil, like usual."

Willow nodded, "I'll keep an eye out, Buffy." With that she departed, intent on making a stop by Oz's place on the way to campus.

Giles and Hermione were in a discussion about what spells would be practical to teach Willow and Xander next. Buffy marched over to Giles and waited for them to finish. When they did, Buffy spoke up, "Okay, Giles... I need you to hit the books and find out anything you can about the Gentlemen..."

That evening, Xander adjusted the sheets on his hide-a-bed in the basement and prepared to turn in after a long day at work. He finished changing into his sleep clothes and stopped to wonder how much different his life was going to be when he started attending classes at wizarding school.

The Califia Wizarding Academy was located in Utah near Sevier Lake. It represented the magical population of the Western most region of the United States. It seemed like half a world away from where he'd grown up, but considering his living situation he wasn't really convinced that would be a bad thing.

He groaned as the screaming from upstairs signaled another argument had broken out between his parents. He knew it was definitely going to be good moving away from situations like this, even though it meant he'd be too far away to help out Buffy like he'd tried to for the last few years.

A bottle shattered somewhere in the house, and Xander pulled the pillow around his ears as he tried to get to sleep. He bitterly grumbled, "Sometimes it would be nice if they'd shut up for one stupid day!" He pulled the pillow tighter around his ears and tried harder to get to sleep. A few minutes after finally drifting off a mysterious white mist floated out of his open mouth and made its way out the open basement window.

The following morning, Buffy was returning from her trip to the bathroom. Willow was just getting up out of bed, so Buffy greeted her, "_Good morning._" She stopped in her tracks.

Willow replied automatically, "_Hey._" She too halted her progress towards the closet.

Buffy tried speaking again but still no sound came out of her mouth. Willow was beginning to panic as she tried to yell but could not be heard.

"_No! I've gone deaf!_" Willow cried.

Buffy shook her head, "_No, Wills, I can't hear either..._" Buffy went over to the door and opened it, taking a look into the hallway. A number of students were milling about, trying their best to say _something_. She turned back to her friend and tried to calm her down, "_Relax, Willow. Get dressed so we can go to Giles._"

Xander rolled out of bed close to a half hour later and went about setting his 'bed' back into a couch for the day. When he was finished, he strained his ears for the sounds of his parents in the course of their regular morning dispute and was relieve to hear no noise from them at all. Thank goodness for small miracles.

He made his way around the basement to pull together some clothes to wear for the day. Being Saturday meant he had the day off, so he was preparing for an all-day magic tutoring session. He tried not to grin at the thought of spending a bunch of time learning from Hermione, but he couldn't hold one back completely. He was definitely going to have to talk with Giles soon, maybe even that evening.

As he approached the dryer to grab a shirt to pull on and complete his wardrobe, he stubbed his toe something fierce and opened his mouth to scream in pain. When his cry came out silently, his toe was quickly forgotten. Well, mostly. He clutched at his throat and started throwing out random words in an attempt to jar loose whatever was blocking his voice, "_Buffy! Vampire! Twinkie!_"

He looked around in a panic and tried to figure out what was happening. Supernatural hijinks, that's what! He acted on his next instinct, picking up his phone to call Buffy and Willow's dorm room. They'd know what to do! The phone kept ringing and ringing but no one ever picked it up. He hung up and tried to dial again, making sure he got the right number, but found the same response.

What if this was some sort of mystical deafness? What if they couldn't hear the phone ringing? He picked up a wrench from next to the washing machine and tapped it against the side. He distinctly heard the 'tink tink tink' when it made contact. Okay, so it's not any sort of deafness... what could it be then?

He can't talk, that much was easy to figure out. Was it just him? Did it apply to only him or were others rendered silent too? Against his better judgement, he ran up the stairs to check with his parents. What greeted him was a completely blitzed pair of individuals who were having a silent screaming match that would have been comical if it didn't hurt his heart so much.

Upon hearing his entrance, they both instantly turned on him and began berating him, an absurd exercise in futility. He tried not to let their anger get to him, but it was always hardest when facing them directly. He couldn't make out most of what they were saying, but he did catch his father yelling the words, "_This is your fault!_" His declaration was followed immediately by a lazy punch that Xander managed to dodge. His father then chased him towards the front door which he readily opened and exited before slamming it in the man's face.

He stood on the porch for a minute, trying to repress the feelings the encounter dredged up, before really digesting his fathers words. '_This is your fault!_' It was then that his words from the previous night, right before he went to bed, caught up with him. '_Sometimes it would be nice if they'd shut up for one stupid day!_'

He smacked himself in the forehead. He suddenly remembered hearing Hermione something mentioned to him about 'accidental magic'. Was he that frustrated with his parents that he _silenced_ them? He'd apparently silenced himself in the process. He hopped in his Chevy and started heading in the direction of Giles' apartment building, deciding to consult with someone more familiar with accidental magic.

Giles himself was reading over one of his many texts on the supernatural. Hermione as well had her nose buried in a book about ritual magic to induce mass silence. She had already bookmarked several pages, but hadn't found anything concrete and nothing related to anything called 'the Gentlemen'.

The door was suddenly flung open to reveal a petite blonde carrying another petite redhead over her shoulder. Buffy gently placed Willow back on her feet and looked to her watcher for answers as Willow mouthed to no one in particular, "_I didn't need that pesky dignity, anyway._"

Buffy was striking a typical annoyed stance and spoke, "_Well?_"

Giles grabbed at his scratch pad and flipped to a clean page, before scribbling out the words, "_As of yet, we have found neither an explanation for what has happened, nor any connection it may have to these 'Gentelmen.'_" He then flipped the page and wrote, "_Why were you carrying Willow? Is she injured?_"

Buffy shook her head and pointed out the door, before pointing at her head and making a circular gesture repeatedly. Giles just looked dumbfounded at the display.

Willow grabbed the notepad out of Giles hand and started a new page, "_It's crazy out there, Giles. Everyone is panicking, so Buffy picked me up and made a run to get here._" Giles nodded in understanding. Willow then added, "_Is there a little more eco-friendly way we can 'talk'? I feel bad about using up all this paper._"

They all gave Willow a weird look, but Hermione put down her book and grabbed at her wand to conjure up a substitute but immediately realized the dilemma. Her experience in wordless magic was not as vast as one would hope in a situation like this. She'd never really taken the time to learn much of it during the hunt for the horcruxes or while studying to work with Mr. Ollivander. The best she could do at the present was to lock a door without a word. She put her wand back in its place and gave Willow an apologetic look and mouthed, "Sorry."

Buffy grabbed one of the pads Giles had then dug out of his desk and wrote, "_We'll plant some trees after this is all done, okay Will?_" She turned to Giles and added, "_What do we do now, Giles? And please don't say 'Research._'"

Giles took his notepad and wrote out in big, bold letters, "_Research._" This resulted in Buffy sticking her tongue out at him before grumpily walking over to the book pile and grabbing one.

Willow started going to the book pile as well before halting and grabbing her pad, "_What about Xander?_" They all exchanged a look at this.

Giles sadly wrote, "_We can only wait for him to arrive. We cannot call him, and we don't know where he is at this moment. I trust he will know to come here when he discovers his condition. Until __then, we must research the cause._" Willow could tell his statement was bothering him, but she knew he was right. Xander would find himself unable to speak and would make his way to the apartment while avoiding as much of the chaos as he could.

Xander was making a bee line for Giles' place as he tried to dodge the crazy and panicking citizens of Sunnydale. He'd knew something larger was happening when he'd seen a crowd of people kneeling before an impromptu preacher speaking a sermon about the end of days. Another man was selling little white boards and markers for ten dollars each. Was he really powerful enough to silence the whole town? When the Hellmouth was involved, one could never really tell.

As he was getting set to make the turn towards Giles' apartment, he saw something that caught his attention. A group of people were running in his direction, and they were all wearing similar clothing. He recognized the UC Sunnydale shirts immediately, and their frantic escape made him stop.

Something was happening at the campus... Buffy? Willow? His sense of self-preservation was at war with his desire to protect the girls in his life.

With an internal kick in the ass, he banked the car left instead of right and headed towards the campus of UC Sunnydale. If Buffy and Willow were in danger, he was obligated to throw himself headlong into a situation that could very well end his life. It was just one of the things he did.


	13. Don't Say A Word: Part Two

**Accidentally Magical**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Thanks you very much for all the reviews you've given. A reminder, I'll be releasing the **Chapters 12 through 15** every other day. One thing of note is the dialogue in these chapters. Italics in these chapters now represent what is _said_ or _written_ but not heard. You'll get what I mean in short order if you've seen Buffy season 4.

**Chapter Thirteen: Don't Say A Word – Part Two: Waldo Never Dealt With This**

It had been an half hour since Buffy and Willow had arrived at Giles' place, Oz had shown up not ten minutes after, but Xander had still not arrived. Buffy and Willow were up yet again, and Willow had scribbled, "_Giles, he's still not here. He's got a car!_"

Giles sighed, finally letting his worry show through, "_You're right. He would have been here by now if nothing had happened._"

Hermione wrote, "_Where do we look for him?_"

Buffy quickly scribbled, "_Xander's. The Dorms. Mom's?_"

They agreed those were the most likely places. Giles flipped to a new page in his notepad and wrote something down. He gestured between himself and Hermione before pointing at the first option, _Xander's_. He pointed to Buffy, Willow, and Oz then gestured towards the Dorms. He then held up his sign, "_We will meet up at your mother's. We may have to use magic to locate him._"

Willow wrote, "_Why not just use it now?_"

"_It requires ingredients that I would have to acquire at the magic store. It would be just as useful to search first,_" Giles explained.

Willow hopped up and down, writing on her pad, "_!! What do you need? I've got all sorts of ingredients in my closet at the dorm!_"

The glare Giles gave her made her enthusiasm wane a fair bit, but he dug out the requirements for the locating spell just the same. After Willow looked it over, she sheepishly nodded to confirm that she had the ingredients.

"_Very well. When you reach the dorms, collect the ingredients. We'll meet at Buffy's mother's __and take whatever action is necessary,_" Giles continued. As the trio left, he turned to Hermione and wrote a message asking her to help him pack up the books that they hadn't read through yet.

She reached for her wand to do it, but soon remembered her inability to recite the incantation. If only she'd taken the time to experiment in wordless magic, she wouldn't be in such a vulnerable position right then. She sighed and started picking up books by hand, silently berating herself for dwelling on things beyond her current control. That way lay madness.

The process of collecting and packing books without magic was a sudden and stark reminder of just how dependent on magic she had become. Coming from a muggle upbringing, she really had started to take that aspect of her life for granted. When this was over and she had her voice back, she was going to make a call to her parents.

Xander had pulled up to the visitor parking area and had since been to the floor Buffy and Willow's dorm room resided. Knocking on their door had resulted in no response. After using the spare key they'd provided him in case of emergency, which he was fairly sure current events qualified as, he'd found it truly empty. They didn't leave a note, but most likely they had gone to Giles' like his first instinct has been.

He started making his way back to his car when he saw a blonde girl struggling to run in her long skirt. She looked terrified, and the reason for it followed quickly behind her. A decidedly unattractive trio of demons came chasing around the same corner she came from. She ran into a nearby building, and the demons followed.

Acting on instinct, he pulled a stake from his pocket and ran towards the same building. He burst into the building and looked around for where they'd gone. The slamming of a door was the only clue he had, so he followed it down a hallway to an abandoned classroom.

Quickly glancing through the narrow window in the door, he saw the trio of butt ugly demons closing in on a frightened blonde. Without hesitating, he barreled through the door to announce his presence. When the three demons turned in his direction, he simply waved at them with a cheeky grin.

Their quivering jaws and general looks of displeasure told him he'd properly entered their radar. However, they made no move away from the still terrified girl curled up behind the teacher's desk. He had to act fast. Without his ability to taunt them verbally, he was going to have to do something pretty damn threatening to turn them onto his trail.

He quickly tried a number of things; he flipped them the bird, flexed his muscles to look more imposing, even silently called them dirty names. However, when he finally got frustrated and spit in their direction, it seemed to trigger the response he was stupidly fishing for. They're jaws opened in soundless roars and they advanced on his position.

His survival instinct told him to start running right then, but he knew he had to wait long enough for them to completely lose the girl from their target list. That meant letting them get uncomfortably close. Once they'd cleared half of the steps toward him, he backed toward the door and started opening it. When they started to run, he did as well. He heard their footsteps behind him as he headed further into the school.

Now that he had their attention, he began to realize he hadn't thought this plan out quite as far as he should have. Imminent danger has a way of clouding your judgment that way. He knew one thing, though, he had to find a way to trap these demons where they couldn't hurt anyone and he needed to get out of this alive. Otherwise, Willow was going to kill him.

Giles' Citroen putted to a halt in front of the Harris residence. He opened the door for Hermione and they cautiously headed towards the front door. Neither expected a warm welcome, but they really had no idea what they were in for. On the way up, Giles wrote out a message on a white board they'd picked up from a man on the way there.

A knock on the door went unanswered at first, but finally it flew open to reveal an enraged man who was shouting at the top of his lungs without the slightest sound exiting his mouth. He seemed to have been expecting someone else, as he stopped short at the sight of them. The stench of alcohol nearly made them dizzy.

Giles held up his white board which read, "_We're looking for Xander. Is he here?_" The response he got was decorated with profanity he wasn't quite sure comprised of actual words so much as hate-filled drunken slurring. The general message of it was clear, though. No, he isn't, and he isn't welcome back either.

It would have been enough of an answer right there, but the punch thrown in Giles' face caught him rather by surprise. He wobbled slightly before crashing to the ground. Luckily enough, so did the attacker. As he got up he made a grab for Hermione, but he was quickly subdued with a well-placed knee to a very unfortunate area.

She helped Giles to his feet and averted her eyes from another obscenity-laced rant from the more-than-punch-drunk cretin kneeling in the entryway to the house. The door was slammed noisily and the two exchanged a rather shocked looks. That went far worse than either would have expected.

However, it did provide them with the answer they needed as to Xander's location. Hermione checked to make sure Giles' wasn't seriously injured, but he scribbled that it was mostly his pride. They got back in the Citreon and headed for Joyce Summers house to begin hitting the books yet again until Buffy and Willow checked in.

Xander seemed to have a thing for boiler rooms. First in high school, and now at college. He wasn't even a student there! He finished barring the door to the boiler room with any heavy object he could find. He'd lead the monsters down there and managed to double back on them. Now they would be trapped there at least long enough for him to get as many people out as he could.

He realized the bigger problem was what would happen when they got out. If Buffy and Willow had gone to see Giles and Hermione, then there was a very slim chance they'd be headed back this way for a while. So there would be no superhero here to slay the beasts. That bugged him.

He stopped his pondering and went back down the hall to the classroom he'd started at. He cautiously opened the door and was sadly rewarded with a panicked scrambling from the lecture floor below. He saw the girl briefly before she huddled under the desk again. He ached for some way of communicating with her that he wasn't one of the monsters and that he was there to help. His only choice was to move to her position and show her that he wasn't going to hurt her.

He took slow, gentle steps to where she was hiding. He didn't want to startle her any more than she already was. He finally reached the lecture floor and worked his way around the side of the desk. He kept his distance, nearly sliding against the chalkboard to give her room. She tried to crawl further under the desk when he finally entered her line of vision. He slowly squatted from where he stood and hoped to make eye contact.

He succeeded, briefly, and her frantic attempt to hide paused momentarily as her eyes widened with shock. He gave her a sheepish wave, before turning around to the chalkboard. He made sure to keep his movements slow and deliberate, so as not to spook her. He grabbed a nearby piece of chalk and wrote, "_I'm Xander. Are you okay?_"

Relief blossomed on her tear-stained features, before she timidly nodded. He wiped his words off the board and spelled out, "_It'll be okay. I locked them up down the hall. Let's go._" The blonde still looked hesitant, but she cautiously crawled out from under the desk and did a quick look around to see it was really clear. He helped pull her to her feet and remembered how her long skirt didn't make the best running attire, but knew nothing could be done about it.

He gestured for her to follow after him as he approached the door. The silence that surrounded them save for the sound of their feet hitting the steps was more than a little creepy in his estimation. They opened the door into the hallway and scouted for potential trouble. No students were loitering about nor were there any demon-type creatures roaming that stretch of of hallway.

A crashing sound from down the hallway was the last thing Xander had wanted to hear, especially coming from the direction of the boiler room. He silently screamed in frustration as he grabbed a hold of the girl and pointed her back at the classroom. The doors were slammed closed again and he emphatically gestured her down towards her hiding spot again.

He was rocked form behind by a sudden assault from his bestest demon pals who were more than a touch upset at his shenanigans in the boiler room. He began cursing himself for entering into yet another stupidly dangerous situation without thinking first.

An unwelcome arm came bursting through the narrow window and made a grab for him, which he barely avoided. He berated himself in the silence, his frustration and panic building with every moment, "_Okay, this is great. Big pissed off demons beating down the door. I can't beat them. I only just got into this wizard gig, and I've got no Slayer to save my ass. Grade A mess up here, Xander. It would be really nice if I could just lock this damned door like Hermione can!_"

He felt a sudden warmth flow up from his insides and burst out of himself. A vague light surrounded him and he was petrified of what had just happened. Were these some sort of long distance soul sucking demons? Great, just great. The girl had poked her head out from under the desk for some reason and was staring at him in yet further shock. Why did he have that effect on people?

The pounding on the door behind him had significantly lessened and he was both relieved and alarmed by it. He cautiously turned his head to see what was going on. The arm that had made a grab at him was gone, and in place of the glass that had been smashed through was a faint blue glow. He could see through it that the beasties were still making their best attempt to bust the door down, but the force of their attack was being diffused by some sort of energy. Hey, who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth?

The girl was still looking at him, which was a little unnerving. He was somewhat surprised when she got up from under the desk and wrote out on the blackboard, "_How did you do that?_" His only response was sheepish look and a shrug. She erased her first question and added, "_You know magic?_" Okay, the unnerving slipped into a bit of panic. Was he locked in on the right side of this door now? He cautiously nodded his head and gestured with his hand to indicate a small amount.

The assault on the door came to a sudden halt. There were a few, brief thumps against the outside, but it was all but stopped. He hazarded a peek through the blue field to see a sight for sore eyes. Buffy was slaying the hell out of the party crashers in an exceptionally gruesome way as Oz looked on. In no time, the demon goo covering the walls told him the demons had met a grisly end.

He nearly crapped himself when Willow's face appeared in the little gap in the window. He forgave her for the simple fact that he was alive. A small white board filled the opening with the question, "_Are you okay?_" His response was an enthusiastic nod. Their attempts to open the door from their side came up fruitless, "_What happened to the door?_" He just shrugged.

He tried to open the door himself, but found it just as barred as they did. He nearly jumped when the blonde girl was standing next to him. She was observing the state of the door with curiosity. Xander would have liked to reverse the effect that had taken over the door, but didn't have any idea how to undo it. Realizing that they didn't necessarily have all the time in the world to figure it out, he looked around for an alternative exit.

He quickly spotted the windows lining one side of the room. He went back to the door and looked through the gap. Buffy and Willow were having a white board discussion about the door, but turned when he tapped on the glow between them. He made a quick gesture in the direction of the windows, then pointed to himself, and finally made a smashing gesture. Oz managed to grab Willow's board and wrote the word '_Window_', which Xander acknowledged with a nod. The three outsiders then started moving outside the building.

He made the same gesture to Tara indicating they were about to make an exit through the window. He jogged down to grab the teacher's chair from near the desk and came back up to the window. Tara covered her eyes as he took a swing with it, the window giving way easily. He used the legs of the chair to clear out any unbroken portions of window and then started helping Tara out of the opening first. He followed right after her and was met outside by a crushing hug from his best friends. Just as quickly, he found a pair of hands smacking him on the arm accompanied by '_why do you always do this?_' glares. Oz just quirked an eyebrow at him.

Willow stopped short upon seeing the blonde, "_Tara?_" The girl smiled shyly.

Buffy held up her white board, "_We need to stop by the dorm room quick. We're all meeting at Mom's house._"

Xander gestured for the white board and wrote, "_Will you guys be mad at me if I say this might be my fault?_"


	14. Don't Say A Word: Part Three

**Accidentally Magical**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Feedback has been much appreciated, thanks everybody. A reminder, I'll be releasing the **Chapters 12 through 15** every other day. One thing of note is the dialogue in these chapters. Italics in these chapters now represent what is _said_ or _written_ but not heard. You'll get what I mean in short order if you've seen Buffy season 4. Also, there's a little nod in here to another television show I've been watching lately; brownie points to anyone who can guess it.

**Chapter Fourteen: Don't Say A Word – Part Three: Lucky Number Seven**

The sun was going down in Sunnydale, and in the dining room at Casa de Summers, a meeting of the minds was taking place between Giles, Hermione, and Willow with occasional input from Oz. Joyce Summers was with Tara in the kitchen baking away their anxiety, which at the moment smelled a lot like banana nut bread.

Meanwhile, on the floor in the living room, Xander sat reading a book he was having serious trouble staying focused on. He was still coming to grips with the idea that he was not to blame for everything going on as he had initially accepted. It turned out that it was something bigger than a case of catastrophic accidental magic.

Buffy was sitting beside him with a book of her own, though she seemed as focused on it as he was on his own. She'd initially been rather furious at Xander for running off into a dangerous situation without any sort of backup. She'd been hoping that he'd see the reasoning behind her desire for him to step back from the fighting so he had a chance at a normal life.

Then along came this magic fiasco and any chance at a normal life he'd had was all but gone. He truly was a part of it now, and she could no sooner stand in his way than stop a speeding bus with her bare hands, even as a Slayer. Even so, she still hoped he'd start utilizing the new ability he'd uncovered to help out in a less in-your-face manner.

She couldn't keep up with the anger at him for too long, though. It just showed what kind of person he was to leap headfirst into danger at the chance that he might stop someone from dying needlessly. Willow's wicca friend, Tara, owed him her life on this occasion. That's why she was sitting next to him now, to keep him from wallowing in the mire of his own self-doubt at this time.

He snapped his book shut and let out a frustrated huff, the only real noise they could make without voices. Buffy looked at him with concern as he set the book down on the floor between his legs. He reached for his white board and held it up in her direction, "_This sucks._" He'd written the message there over an hour ago and reached for it every fifteen minutes or so to 'voice' his displeasure in the only way he really could.

Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to her own board, scribbling quickly and responding, "_So do vampires._" The look on his face was priceless, and his frustrated posture melted into silent laughter. He smiled at her in thanks just before Willow walked over and knelt beside them.

She gestured at their books to ask if they'd found anything constructive. They both shook their heads in shame. Willow tried to look upbeat but was having a hard time with it, so she just sat down next to them. She wrote on her board for a minute before turning it around to face them, "_Giles and Hermione still don't know what the rhyme means. They can't figure out what the Gentlemen are going to take seven of._"

"_Why does evil have to rhyme, anyway?_" Xander scratched onto his white board, "_It's ruining my appreciation for fairy tales!_" All he got in response where a couple of withering glares, to which he responded, "_What?_"

Buffy sighed and looked over her shoulder at the darkening sky. It was almost time to patrol. If the afternoon had been chaotic, tonight was going to be unhinged. All the vampires and demons that couldn't come out to play during the day would be looking for easy prey when the sky grew dark. She climbed to her feet and started doing stretches to loosen her up for the rough night ahead.

Xander quickly wiped off his board and wrote a new message, "_Shouldn't we go with you? Strength in numbers, right?_"

Giles and Hermione had joined them once Buffy had begun her preparations. He answered them via the white board, "_We need as many eyes on books as we can muster for this occurrence._" He cleared the message and wrote a new one, "_Buffy will only be keeping the peace in the most vulnerable places for tonight..._" Another message was scrawled, "_She shouldn't be getting in over her head, under ANY circumstances_" The glare which followed meant there was no room for debate.

Buffy just nodded and started loading up her supplies. She gave everyone a wave and a nod before heading out the front door.

In the UC Sunnydale dormitories, most of the students who hadn't panicked and run for the hills were settling down for the evening and hoping to wake up the next day from a very bad dream. The news reports outside of town were calling it a mass breakout of laryngitis amongst the population, which had to be one of the most absurd things ever air as national news. Well, maybe.

The hallways were deserted, as many had either seen or 'heard' about the mess near one of the classrooms on campus. No one really wanted to encounter what had caused the carnage, lest they end up smeared across the walls themselves.

Sam Wesson was in his dorm room preparing for bed. His roommate, Dean Smith had bugged out shortly after they'd woken up mute and that left him alone in the dorm room. Now he wished he'd gone with him instead of hanging back and hoping it was all some dream he'd wake up from.

As the day went on he realized how wrong he was, but as he was going to make a run for it, he'd seen a nutjob going down the halls wearing a sandwich board smeared with what looked like blood. It had all sorts of crazy stuff written on it about how hell was being unleashed and demons would be coming for everyone's souls that night.

After that, he'd locked himself in his room and tried to pass the time in a way that wouldn't let him dwell on how much he feared the wacko in the hall being right. Now he was getting ready for a night of sleep that promised to be less than satisfying. He stopped what he was doing when the knob on the dorm room door rattled briefly.

He turned to stare at the door dumbly for a minute, but was shaken from his stupor when a knock came at the door. A moment later it was followed by another, slightly firmer knock. Out of habit, he tried to call out, "_Dean, is that you?_" The lack of sound from his voice brought him back to reality.

He approached the door cautiously, taking his time as the fear crept up his spine. The knocking came one more time, nearly sending him out of his boots. Would the hounds of hell have the courtesy to knock? He suddenly felt bad for potentially leaving his roommate out in the hallway where the creepy sign guy could be lurking. He opened the door without another thought, and what he saw would have made him scream in terror if he'd even had the ability. Alas, all he could do was open his mouth and gasp with his last breaths.

Buffy was patrolling the stretch between downtown and the campus at present. She'd dusted a handful of vampires, played decoy for a trio of college girls against a nasty looking demon that left a foul-smelling stain on her shirt when she'd slayed it, and was making her final rounds before returning home.

Most demons wisely fled upon seeing the Slayer walking the streets. Whatever magical calamity was taking place in Sunnydale, the lack of a voice would have no bearing on the ability of a Slayer to kick all kinds of ass. It certainly wasn't worth dying over that night. Perhaps in a few days, when all hope had left the population, but if a ticked-off Slayer wanted you dead you wouldn't be smart to stick around.

She began trading punches with a vampire that thought it could sneak up on her. She easily ducked the initial punch and used the vamps own momentum to flip it over her shoulder. It rolled with the throw and ended up back on it's feet. It seemed to be of the opinion that brute strength was the answer to a Slayer's innate abilities. Like she hadn't encountered _that_ before.

Buffy's arms were getting sore from the pounding Sir Big Fists was laying into her, but all she had to do was wait for an opening. The vamp came at her a little wider than before, and the opportunity was pounced upon. She only got one quick jab to the chest before the assault began again, but it was only moments afterwards that a shower of ash told her that her thrust had hit home. She rubbed at her forearms briefly, but had little time to rest as a commotion from a nearby alley drew her attention. She rushed off to investigate.

Just one block away a figure emerged, followed by several more. Heads turned in every direction, looking for an unseen target. Their straight jacketed arms flailed wildly as they lurched along. Moments later, a half dozen figures floated behind looking pleased with their wide, distorted grins. A few of them carried jars in their hands, the contents of which were obscured by a gory mess. The party broke into two, with the ones with filled jars veering off toward the college campus. The others continued on in their search.

Just after they'd all disappeared again, a demon came flying out from the alleyway and a flying kick from the Slayer soon followed it. She'd grabbed a pipe at some point and proceeded to beat the stuffing out of the offending demon, literally. A spray of purple blood spurted all over the street, as well as on the Slayer's outfit. She gave the dying beast an extra few shots with the pipe just for it's contribution to the destruction of her wardrobe.

After it was reduced to a foul smelling sticky substance, either through Buffy's abuse or as a natural decomposing reaction, Buffy decided the city was safe for the time being. At least long enough for her to go home and change into something less noxious.

As she turned down the street to head home, a squad of men dressed in army fatigues emerged from a block away. They advanced down the street and within moments arrived at the now sizzling purple remains of the demon Buffy had just squashed. They all looked in confusion at what had been a rather formidable monster in their estimation. The leader of the squad pulled a device from a pocket in his body armor and swept it in the direction of the beast. He put one device away and pulled out another which he began punching buttons on in rapid succession. He finally pressed one last button, sending a message back to base, "_Hostile 22 has been found. Status – Deceased. Returning to base._"

The following mornings paper gave the Scoobies the grim answer they had been searching for all the previous day. Reports of at least two people brutally murdered and separated from their hearts the night before. They all stared at the headlines with slightly sick stomachs.

"_Seven hearts?_" Xander had scribbled, "_This completely sucks._" He dropped his board before running both hands through his shaggy hair. The bags under his eyes, the same shared by everyone else, spoke of their late night researching that came up fruitless. They'd gone through every book they'd salvaged before the destruction of Sunnydale high about demons and demon rituals and nothing about the rhyme from Buffy's dreams had been recorded or matched any rituals they could find.

It wasn't until Willow tried to make a joke that they had a breakthrough, when she wrote out, "_Here I grew up with Three Blind Mice, why couldn't I have been raised on some old fashioned _evil_ nursery rhymes?_"

Anyone who had been looking at Rupert Giles at that moment would have seen something click in his head, and if they had a good eye for reading lips would have seen a sentence that began with the words, "_Oh, bloody hell..._" It went downhill from there. He scrambled towards the stacks of discarded books searching them up and down, cursing as he couldn't find the one he desperately wanted.

His search was halted when a board was placed in front of him that read, "_Mr. Giles, what are you looking for?_" He turned to see a concerned Hermione standing next to him, and behind her a collection of equally worried youths. He took a deep breath and took the board from her. He wrote as clearly as he could in his agitated state.

He turned it around at them and waited for them to read the somewhat squashed text, "_We've been looking at this wrong. It must not be demons, but something completely different... perhaps like an evil fairy tale. We must return to my home to retrieve my copy of 'Tales of Beedle The Bard!'_"

Hermione's eyes went wide and gestured for Giles to stay put while she ran to her carrying case and reached in shoulder deep. Moments later, she pulled up with a worn and ancient looking book with a distinctive cover. Giles looked at her with surprise and curiosity, to which she simply shrugged.

He gently turned the pages of the old text until he reached what he was looking for. He turned the book towards them and indicated a series of lines near the top. Everyone but Hermione and Willow looked mystified by the scribble on the page. Willow quickly jotted onto her board, "_It's in Latin... it's the rhyme!_"

This lead them to another power reading session involving Willow, Giles, and Hermione. In the meantime, Buffy and Xander ate banana bread while laying out a selection of weapons for potential use in the evening's activities. Xander was looking longingly at a battle axe he knew there was no chance of getting his hands on. Still, the banana bread-fueled daydream that involved him swinging the weapon around with skill while and adoring Hermione looked on left him not feeling so bad about it.

Buffy waved her hand in front of his eyes and he snapped out of it. She'd already claimed the battle axe, he noticed with slight disappointment, and was trying to drag him over towards the dining room where several white boards had been lined up to make one big one and Giles was writing out an explanation of just what was going on.

He went into abbreviated detail about how the Gentlemen traveled from town to town in order to collect seven human hearts to sustain themselves. They'd already collected at least two, and if they collected all seven it would not be a good thing for the town of Sunnydale. Under no circumstances could they allow it to happen.


	15. Don't Say A Word: Part Four

**Accidentally Magical**

**by KJ Dekker aka RockyD**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Feedback has been much appreciated, thanks everybody. Kudos to **kayron** and **halfbreedcreature** for correctly guessing what other TV show I was referencing in the last chapter. I'm at the beginning of Season 3, for those that care. This is the last of the rapid fire chapters I'm releasing. Updates will go back to their regular times of once or twice a week, depending on how _in the way_ my new job will get. As with the previous three chapters, dialogue in italics represents what is _said_ or _written_ but not heard.

**Chapter Fifteen: Don't Say A Word – Part Four: The Bell Tolls**

Buffy raised her board in response, "_How do I kill them?_" She spun the axe in her grip to accent her question.

Giles answered, "_No weapon, man made or otherwise, can kill them._" Buffy deflated visibly at this answer, but Giles continued, "_In the tale, the Gentlemen were defeated by the princess' piercing scream._"

The light bulb went on over Willow's head as she gestured to her throat indicating their lack of voices to scream with. Giles nodded an affirmative to Willow's deduction. He drew a cube on his board with an arrow pointing at it, "_The box draws in the voices of the town to prevent anyone from screaming and killing the Gentlemen. We must find this box and destroy it to unleash our voices. It is the only way we can possibly defeat them._"

Xander raised his hand before writing out his question, "_Where? There's an awful lot of ground to cover._"

Giles nodded, wiping the board off and forming his answer, "_The nature of the box requires protection. It will be in a place that isn't normally visited by anyone who could potentially destroy it on accident. That narrows most public places, as well as caves and the sewers. Demons could just as likely stumble upon it and inadvertently smash it._"

Xander responded quickly, "_Thank goodness for small miracles. No sewer surfing!_" A hint of amusement hid behind the glares he received. They then began brainstorming places that were easily accessible to the Gentlemen but which saw sporadic public usage.

It was decided they would split up into two teams and investigate the locations they came up with. Buffy, Willow, Oz, and Tara would head back to the campus to check out the clock tower as well as any other abandoned buildings nearby, as their presence could be explained away to anyone affiliated with the school.

Giles, Hermione, and Xander were to head to the downtown business district and scope out the many vacant storefronts they knew of. The division of teams left at least one skilled fighter on each as well as armed support. Armed to the teeth, in fact, as they each grabbed something sharp and something that could shoot.

As much as Xander wanted to grab a crossbow, Giles had made sense when he said it wouldn't do them any good if friendly fire took someone out, so instead he settled for a Super Soaker full of holy water. Hermione armed herself likewise, grabbing a curved dagger for extra protection. Xander snuck out a short sword and accompanying sheath, just in case.

Before splitting up, they agreed to meet back at the Summer's residence even if their searches turned up nothing. None of them were looking forward to that turn of events, as it meant they might never get their voices back, and that was the least of the consequences.

Xander climbed into the driver's seat of his Chevy as Hermione and Giles crawled into the passenger side. He cast a short glance towards Oz's van as the other four got inside. He started up his Chevy and had one of those moments of clarity where he wondered what they were thinking. With his vehicles' asthmatic engine and Oz's eye sore of a paint job, the element of surprise wasn't even admitting it knew them.

Xander was fairly certain any evildoers were probably able to hear them from a mile away and would vacate their haunts before they even got close enough to ID them. If the Gentlemen were hanging out somewhere downtown, they'd be absurdly lucky to catch them unaware. Just the same, part of him hoped they'd find nothing and Buffy would have the honor of slaying them back to wherever the heck they came from.

When they'd reached the downtown district, Main Street was all but deserted. The news of the gruesome murders the previous night seemed to have driven indoors everyone who didn't _especially_ like the hours after sundown, which was just as well for all involved. It eased their burden as they no longer had to try to disguise their efforts amongst a crowd. Giles began picking the lock of the first empty business while Xander and Hermione kept an eye out for anyone or anything.

Oz pulled his van into the student parking lot on the college campus. In plain view was the clock tower, dark and ominous as it was required to be. They started making their way there, keeping their eyes peeled for the Gentlemen and anything else that might be creeping about that evening.

The door was blocked, but that lasted mere seconds as Buffy kicked it in and checked to see if it was clear. With a wave she beckoned them inward to follow her. A hundred yards away, a group of figures were making their way towards the very same clock tower.

Halfway up the stairs, on a mid-tower landing, one of the windows exploded inward to reveal a crazed figure in an unbound straight jacket. It immediately made a grab at Tara, who was pulled out of the way in time by Willow.

Several other crashes through nearby windows brought reinforcements for the single creepy monster. Buffy immediately began fighting them off, sparing a quick gesture to Willow, Oz and Tara to get up to the top of the tower. From below an even larger explosion rang out, followed the the sound of crackling electricity.

Xander kicked in the front door of the first available building and half-dragged a figure in with Hermione's help. He waited barely a moment after easing Giles to the ground before blocking the door with any heavy object they could find. When he was reasonably satisfied with the stability of the blockade, he turned to the kayoed form and mouthed, "_We can't take you anywhere, can we?_"

This particular mission had gone south rather too quickly for his liking. The fourth building they checked had turned out to be the hideout for a rather disgruntled cadre of vampires who didn't take kindly to their barging in unannounced. Giles had gestured for them make a run for it while he held them off, but that plan was soon dashed when he'd caught a nasty fist across the face and been rendered unconscious.

The only thing that saved their asses was Hermione's aim with a Super Soaker while he hauled Giles out of the building, and his well-thrown bottle of holy water at the top of the door frame. That bought them enough time to make it to their current location. He had no idea who long it would take for the vampires to get through, but he didn't think it would be nearly long enough. He gestured to Hermione that he was going to have a look around the place while they were there. She stayed by Giles' side and tried to revive him.

Willow, Oz, and Tara scrambled into the belfry and slammed the door closed behind them. They started looking around frantically for anything resembling the box Buffy had described. There was a lot of debris all over the place, making their job that much harder.

Buffy just finished snapping the neck of one straight jacket monster and turned around to see another one pouncing on her. It was knocked out of the way by a surge of electricity, and when her vision cleared she was staring at one of the last people she expected to see, "_Riley?_" What was her Psychology TA doing in army fatigues holding a ray gun?

Their moment of mutual recognition was cut short when the zapped crazy made a lunge at Riley and started dragging him near the gap in the center of the building. Buffy reacted like lightning herself, diving forward and kicking the beast off of him while she yanked Riley away from the edge. She succeeded in dislodging the monster, but also in separating Riley from his gun. It was firmly held in the hands of the creature and fell along with it to the bottom of the tower. The discharge of electricity made them turn away from the sight.

When they turned back around, they were almost face-to-face with the distorted grins of a number of Gentlemen.

An arm burst through a portion of the blockage and began reaching around for to clear the debris. Xander did the only thing he could think of; he slipped his short sword from it's sheath and effectively severed the vampires arm. They both stared in surprised at the action, until a renewed assault on the door began removing it from it's hinges.

Oz was searching near the door while Willow started rifling through debris near the gears. Tara began looking over a table near the middle of the room. She gasped quietly at the sight before her when she lifted a sheet from atop of it. Seven jars were laid out, and six of them were filled with the gory remains of human hearts.

The door suddenly exploded inward, sending Oz flying into a pile of debris. He didn't get back up right away. Tara took a tumble backwards from the force, nearly knocking Willow completely off her feet. Instead, she only fell to her one knee before she turned to check if they were alright. Upon doing so, she witnessed what had chilled the blood of countless people over the years. A lone Gentleman was floating towards them through the now demolished doorway with a malicious smile and a readied scalpel.

They did the first thing that occurred to them, firing their holy water guns at the creature. This resulted in nothing more than a soaked suit, the monster didn't even stop for a moment. They looked at each other in panic, and at that same moment Tara caught sight of a small decorative box otherwise hidden by the bloody jars residing on the table. Willow followed her eyes and saw it too. The only obstacle in their way was the menacing Gentleman.

Oz was on his feet again and tackled the Gentleman from behind, clearing the path between the girls and the box. Willow suddenly felt Tara grip her hand tightly and felt, rather than heard, her voice inside her head declare, "_Do it!_"

Without thinking further, Willow pointed her hand at the box and concentrated, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" The spread of warmth through her caught her off guard, as did the rush of wind that seemed to flow up and out of her arm.

The box flew out from between the jars and darted to the nearest wall. With a satisfying shattering sound, the box exploded into a million different pieces. A white mist floated out in every direction, with several streams heading to locations within the building.

Buffy fought fruitlessly against the various Gentlemen, as her attacks seemed to do no lasting damage against them. She was thrown backwards momentarily, and as she gasped for breath, a mist flew into her open mouth. She climbed back to her feet in time to see one of the Gentlemen grasping at Riley and reaching with a scalpel towards his heart.

"Riley!" Buffy wasn't the only one startled by her sudden, audible utterance. Each and every Gentlemen turned towards her, the first signs of their monstrous grins finally diminishing as they showed real alarm. Buffy didn't hesitate another moment letting out the loudest, longest scream of her life.

With a gory flourish, the Gentlemen up and down the building died in a spray of flesh, bone, and brain matter. When they were all dead, she finally stopped screaming. She started taking deep breaths to recover, and was greeted with a relieved declaration from upstairs, "Buffy!"

Xander knew he wouldn't be able to hold the vampires back for very long now that they'd started breaching the barrier holding them out. He'd already moved to the rear of the building where they'd placed Giles and had Hermione standing next to him with her curved dagger at the ready.

He was knocked off his feet when a broken table leg that came flying to collide with his sword bearing shoulder. The sword clattered to the ground and he growled silently as the pain coursed through him. He didn't allow himself to lose focus, grabbing the sword with his other hand and climbing to his feet. He looked at them angrily as they enjoyed his momentary pain, "That hurt!"

They all just stood there for a moment in shock of his outburst. He broke the silence again by looking next to him and saying, "Uh, Hermione, some fire would be great..." He hoisted his sword again and hoped she got the message, as the vampires were moving again.

"Incendio!" She declared repeatedly moments later, before a series of fireballs flooded the front of the store and engulfed the vampires. Their tortured screams were music to their ears as they waited out the flames before allowing themselves to relax.

While Hermione put out the fire trying to consume the storefront, Xander finally fell back clutching his shoulder, which was somewhere between numb and excruciating. He let his head fall back against the wall.

Hermione then used her wand to pour water across the unconscious Giles' face, jarring him awake. He sputtered briefly before trying to get his bearings. He was clearly disoriented, but still managed to ask, "Did anyone get the number of the lorry that ran me over?"

Xander had never been so glad to hear Giles coming around from a head injury, but felt in necessary to quip, "That's it, Giles. As soon as I learn how, I'm conjuring you a helmet every time we leave the house." He stuck his short sword in the floor in order to leverage himself to his feet, before helping Hermione lift Giles back to his, "Alright, let's get back to the car so we can go hear Buffy tell us just how hard she slayed these creeps."


	16. Talking Points

**Accidentally Magical**

by KJ Dekker aka RockyD

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy set near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this chapter, my new job kind of got in the way every time I tried to get this edited and posted. Don't really know how much of a nuisance it's going to become, but I'll still try to update as often as I can. We're also getting close to the dive into the Wizarding World. I know many have been anxiously awaiting that. Thanks as always to everyone for the feedback.

**Chapter Sixteen: Talking Points**

After things settled down following the Gentlemen fiasco, as much as things ever did on the Hellmouth, Hermione was getting considerably homesick. She'd made good on her self-promise to call her parents after she'd regained her voice, but it only made her miss home all the more. Of course, her eagerness to return to England didn't mean she wasn't enjoying her time in America.

Xander was very enthusiastic about teaching her American customs. He'd shown her the 'joy' of Twinkies at the very first opportunity, and with alarming regularity thereafter. She had to admit the indulgence was liberating, as she'd never been allowed many sweets as a child. Xander appeared to have an appetite that rivaled Ronald Weasley, that much was sure.

She couldn't deny that she enjoyed her time with Xander, in a way she had no way of expecting when she'd been given the task of traveling to Sunnydale. She couldn't remember a time where she had felt so carefree. She, of course, had plenty of amusing moments with both Harry and Ron, but there had always been a cloud hanging over them by the name of Voldemort.

Even after his defeat, their worlds were never quite as free as _normal_ people. They were known all over England, and even certain parts of the world at large, as the Golden Trio who had brought down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Recognized almost everywhere they went and never given a moment of peace.

She imagined it was a lot like celebrities who had to deal with the paparazzi on a daily basis. Even her private time had never really relaxed. She and Ron had argued almost constantly over the most trivial of things. He never truly got behind her championing of house elf rights, despite his comment during the Battle of Hogwarts about not ordering them to die for them. Once the pressure was off and he didn't feel he had to impress her anymore, the sincerity toward the cause abruptly disappeared.

So, yes, she relished the time spent with Xander. He made her feel unlike anything she ever had before, almost like she was a kid again. She couldn't understand how a near stranger could have such an effect on her, but she quickly realized he wasn't anything like a stranger. He was her newest friend.

He had subtly worked his way past her defenses and entrenched himself across the line of friendship. She had to admire his charm in that capacity. Perhaps it was some form of magic in itself. A subtle, ambient spell which captivated all those he came into contact with. She would definitely have to research it upon her return to England.

She mentally cringed. Not for the first time since her arrival, she felt a sense of dread at the fact that she would have to return home at some point. It was such a contradictory feeling, she both wanted to go home and wanted to stay at the same time. The little two bedroom, multi-level apartment had become something of a second home to her, due in no small part to the group of people who resided there. A dash of terrorizing peril did its part to help as well. Much like how the troll brought her, Harry, and Ron together, the danger of the Gentlemen pushed them all closer in an unforeseeable way.

Each of them had their own qualities she admired, and each of them had a tremendous loyalty she envied. They were embattled in their own war against the dark, and part of her wished nothing more than to remain and fight alongside them. She wanted them to make it out alive, to ensure they would live to fight another day, or to win out completely and have the normal life she herself craved.

Xander's progress in magic was pleasantly surprising. He still wasn't an experienced wizard, but he had advanced well enough through the basics in the short time she'd been working with him. Perhaps due to her aggressive lessons which focused more on practical application than theory, he was certainly an eager student in his own right.

Willow herself was progressing quite nicely, although she seemed to have a little more trouble grasping things without understanding the theory behind it.

She knew they would eventually be enrolling in the nearest American magic school, but a selfish part of her wasn't settled with the idea that they would be learning from anyone but herself. She would like very much to remain there and have a hand in shaping the kind of wizard Xander would turn out to be, but knew she wouldn't be the best teacher.

She was an extremely intelligent witch, a fact she had been reminded of nearly constantly by Harry and Ron, but there were still subjects that she just did not have the ability to teach effectively. It would, logically, be better for them to learn the full range of material from professionals.

Willow's trouble with the practical aspects of spellwork did not carry over to her skill with potions. The girl had gotten the hang of handling and mixing the various ingredients required for the entry level potions she had set out for her with astonishing ease. Hermione believed she might just have found another candidate for the title of Potions Master in the overeager little redhead.

She had been surprised by Buffy's sudden offer to take her shopping for newer clothes. She realized she had been laundering and transfiguring the same outfit for the duration of her stay, but that hadn't seemed that big of a deal to her. She'd done it countless times during their hunt for the horcruxes, when they didn't have the luxury of stopping by shops to buy fresh clothes.

However, it was abundantly clear that Buffy didn't believe it was proper for a girl to wear the same thing every day, even if it was magically made to look like something else.

At the very least, Buffy had pleaded for her to go out and browse so she would have more variety to choose from when she did her laundry magic. Seeing that Buffy was bound and determined, she agreed to go along while Buffy got herself a new wardrobe.

While the girls were away, with Oz as their driver, Xander worked up the nerve to approach Giles. The ex-Watcher was documenting both Willow and his progress in his journal, a habit he'd been ingrained with during his time as a Watcher and which wouldn't seem to leave him.

Xander shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he stood behind the man. He just didn't know how to open up the conversation. He nearly jumped out of his shoes when Giles spoke up, "Whatever it is, Xander, it won't get any easier to say if you stare at me long enough."

"Geez, Giles! Give a guy a heart attack!" He put a hand over his chest as he calmed his breathing, "What makes you think I have something to say to you anyway?"

"You've been avoiding me all day, and now that the girls are gone you're standing behind me pacing about. Either you're planning to mug me or you want to discuss something personal with me."

He breathed deeply, "Well, I _am_ a bit strapped for cash, so I suppose it really could be either one."

The man put down his writing utensil and turned to look at him, "All my money is in my bank account."

Xander deflated, "Well, then, I guess it's door number two." He sat down on the back of the couch and sighed, "I really want to talk to you about this, Giles, it's just awkward. But I take you seriously, so I'm coming to you about it."

"I meant it when I said you simply had to ask, Xander." He pulled his chair closer to the young man, "I suspect I know what's on your mind, but please go ahead and clarify."

Xander had trouble meeting his eyes, but was determined to do this properly, so he made the contact before he spoke, "I...I really like..._somebody_...but I don't know if she likes me... and there's this whole issue of she isn't from around _here_." He took a deep breath, "And I don't know what to do. I don't have the greatest track record when it comes to women, Giles. You know the majority of my experience involves women who've wanted to kill me."

Giles nodded, "And you don't know how to approach _her_ in a way that won't completely embarrass you if you're wrong."

Xander's eyes lit up, "Exactly! I'd really hate it if Her...uh, if _she_ got all awkward with me if she doesn't like me, too. It'd make things difficult. And did I mention awkward?"

Giles nodded, "That, my boy, is the paradox of love. You can't really know how she feels unless you ask, _but_ if you ask then you'll really know how she feels. I could tell you a few of the cliches on the matter. Life is short. Love is what you make of it. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

He saw the look that crossed Xander's face, "I'm rather partial to that last one. The point is, you can't go through your life wondering how things _might_ have been if you'd just gathered the courage to ask. I think you'll be pleased by the response you'll get if you finally do."

"I would never wear a skirt that short!" Hermione declared as Buffy modeled a dangerously small miniskirt, "That's indecent!"

Buffy just smirked at her, "Some boys like indecent. I read Xander's mind once, and it was all he thought about."

Willow turned red, but scolded her friend, "Buffy! He was an eighteen year old boy... what did you expect him to be thinking about?" Buffy looked a little ashamed and nodded.

Hermione was red herself but asked, "You read his mind? You can do that?"

Buffy shook her head, "For a little while. Fought with this demon once and got some of his blood in my system... Giles called it 'Aspect Of The Demon' and for a few days I could read people's minds."

Hermione looked suddenly unsure, "I didn't really see Xander as a..."

Buffy immediately felt remorse, "I was joking, Hermione. Well, yeah, Xander was thinking about sex at the time, but I'm sure he doesn't think about it all the time. He's done all sorts of good things and there weren't any sexual overtones to be found."

Hermione looked slightly relieved, before she laughed, "Well, he _is_ a boy..."

They all shared a laugh, before Buffy saw an opportunity to pounce, "Soooo, you _do_ wonder about what's going on in his head, don't you?"

Hermione's eyes shot open, "I...well...I wouldn't say..."

Willow put a hand on her arm, "Relax, I'm right there with you in terms of the Xander-wonderage. Well, not right now, I'm not interested in him anymore, but there was a point where I was the number one fan of Club Xander."

After changing back into her normal clothes, Buffy sat down next to Hermione, "There's nothing wrong with being interested in Xander. Even I've been there, though that was kinda magically induced. He's very likable. Plus, the fact that you've been on several car rides with him and managed to _not_ hocus pocus him into oblivion speaks highly of your liking him."

"You just have to be...careful with him." Willow added cautiously.

"Careful? You mean he's... dangerous?" Hermione paled. She knew he was a little jittery, but he didn't seem ready to lash out at a moment's notice.

Buffy nearly tripped and shook her head emphatically, "No way! He's a total teddy bear. Willow just means that he hasn't had a whole lot of luck with women. Most of the ones he's dated have tried to kill him at one point or another." She saw Hermione's stunned look, "I do mean that literally. He's kind of a trouble magnet, and when he's not attracting it he's jumping on it's back, like you saw the the other day."

Willow looked at Hermione seriously, "Xander is great, he's just not used to things going right for him. He's pretty close to patting down any girls he meets to make sure they aren't carrying weapons. Anya even tried to curse him once, but that backfired on her. You just have to make sure you're upfront with him about everything you can. If you leave him room to misinterpret, he'll pounce on it and convince himself it's the worst thing."

"Exactly, Wills! Hermione, if you like him, you've gotta tell him. Otherwise he might never work up the guts to ask." Buffy added, but Hermione looked skeptical, "Trust us, he likes you. He's twice as annoying when he's interested." With that, they left the store and headed out to meet Oz at the food court before heading home.


	17. Tactile Response

**Chapter Seventeen: Tactile Response**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: I know I implied we were just a chapter or two away from the jump to the wizarding world, but would you be altogether too mad if I managed to incorporate another Buffy episode (a combination of two, actually) in right before it? An idea just hit me, and I wanted to use it before Xander ventured overseas, to show him using magic without Hermione's presence, as well as tie up a few loose ends. I'm going to try working on it, and if it doesn't pan out, you can completely ignore everything above this in the note.

--

"So..." Xander began, before stopping to rub the back of his neck nervously, "Did you want to go to the Bronze tonight?" He asked in a rush. Hermione stopped what she was doing; sorting through the pages of the lesson plan she'd drawn up for what she wanted to try to teach both Willow and Xander while she was here.

She stared at him for several moments, first trying to process just what he'd said, then overcoming her shell shock over the fact that Xander seemed to be asking her out.

Xander seemed to sense her confusion, or perhaps he was anticipating rejection, "Uh, well... the Dingos, that's Oz's band, are playing there tonight and I thought it might be cool to take a break from all this learning stuff to go watch them..." He started to ramble before stopping himself, "Buffy and Willow will be there. Willow goes to all of Oz's local gigs. Buffy might even bring that Riley guy. Willow might invite Tara, too."

Hermione still looked stupefied. It still sounded like Xander was asking her out, but if that was the case why would he have mentioned that his other friends would be there? Maybe she was simply reading too much into the request and he was just being polite as usual. It would certainly be a nice change of pace to get away from Giles' flat on a trip that didn't involve a stroll through a cemetery.

Meanwhile, as Hermione debated Xander's invitation in her head, Xander was mentally cursing himself for even trying. Why did he have to have such a spotty record with women? It made it so hard for him to put his neck out there.

After seeing Hermione's initial reaction to his asking her to go to the Bronze, he felt incredibly stupid and did the only thing he could think of; take the pressure off of her by making it seem like he wasn't actually asking her out, and instead like he was just inviting her along on a group field trip..

Hermione finally responded and Xander felt a weight slide off his shoulders, "I...I suppose it would be good to get away from all this for a little while." She offered him an encouraging smile, "Do you go to this 'Bronze' often?"

Xander immediately flipped from embarrassed to enthusiastic in the way only he could, "Oh, yeah! It's pretty much the only means of entertainment in our evil little burg. Well, there was an arcade in the mall but that closed up years ago. Now it's just The Bronze." He then started to ramble again about all sorts of things they'd encountered in the club, mostly vampires. It made sense to her that such a popular teenage hot spot would be prime hunting grounds for the undead citizens of Sunnydale.

The Bronze was packed. The Dingos were a local favorite and the attendance certainly showed. Some would claim, one person in particular, that the groupies were showing up for the lead singer Devon. Most, however, would point to the bands unique roster and their one-of-a-kind stage antics. Oh yeah, and they played some decent music, too.

None of this mattered to Xander, though. His only real concern was the fact that the crowded atmosphere that evening had him in a very enviable position. Of course, as far as he knew the only person envying him was himself, which was just weird.

No, Xander was preoccupied by the fact that they were all closely huddled around a small table in the middle of the club. This had him pressed very tightly against the person next to him. In this case, it was Hermione. This was both a good and a bad thing, as it meant he was quite close to a girl he was really starting to like, but he was also sitting quite close to a girl he was really starting to like who didn't necessarily like him.

He was both elated and worried at the same time. What if he made a fool of himself? Well, more than he usually did. What he did tonight could very well influence whether or not things went north or south in the next few days.

Willow was intensely focused on the performance, in particular the bassist, so she was paying no attention to any of Xander's very real problems. Buffy was likewise engrossed, however she had an entirely different purpose. She was scoping the crowd for potential enemies.

Buffy kept up the outward demeanor of a young woman nonchalantly sipping at her soda while casually sweeping her eyes about, but underneath it all the Slayer was in action evaluating if the guy with the bad hair was a vampire or just a really bad judge of what was in style.

Riley was sitting next to her, still looking a little uncomfortable being in such close quarters with them all. He wasn't doing so great with the revelations brought on during the attack from the Gentlemen. Tara had opted not to come along that evening, choosing instead to study for a test coming up in one of her classes.

This left Xander to stew in his own self-esteem issues and work himself into such a doubt-filled frenzy that there was little question that he was going to foul up any opportunity that would come his way.

When the Dingos took a break it was with great relief, as a good portion of the crowd inside decided to step outside for some air. Willow was immediately gone to go be with Oz, and Buffy took Riley along to do a sweep through the alley behind the club and around its perimeter. This allowed Xander to slide over a bit to allow a bit of room between himself and Hermione.

House music came up as the dance floor was now mostly cleared of people during the bands break. He was taking a sip from his soda when Buffy caught his eyes just before she exited the building. She gestured towards Hermione with them and then towards the dance floor. Xander had to fight not to spit his mouthful out as his eyes widened. Buffy just rolled her eyes before going through the rear door Riley was holding open for her.

Xander peeked in Hermione's direction to see her picking at a loose thread on her sleeve before toying with the cup which held her water. She looked even more uncomfortable than he'd felt a few minutes before, and he suddenly felt bad. She didn't seem to be having a good time, and it was all his fault. Before he could stop the words he asked, "Wanna dance?"

She looked up at him sharply and her curious eyes met his bewildered ones. They both seemed equally surprised by his question. She held his gaze for a few moments, as if trying to judge the sincerity of his request. She found no hint that he was patronizing her. She'd never been the one people would ask to dance with, only Viktor had ever really asked her. She faintly smiled as she answered, "Yes, that would be nice."

Xander didn't hesitate to slide out of his chair and offer a hand to help her up. They wandered over to the dance floor where several other couples were dancing to an upbeat song playing over the PA. They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before starting to get into the song.

Hermione had to fight not to initially laugh at the odd movements and gyrations that Xander called dancing. Whatever it was he was doing, he seemed to be enjoying himself, and wasn't that what really mattered? She just danced along with him, trying to look perfectly at ease with her flailing dance partner.

After another song, where Xander even got her to emulate his dancing style to much laughter; a different, slower, song came over the PA and set about another awkward stare down. After much less hesitation that the previous instance, Xander shrugged and cautiously offered to let it go and head back to the table.

Hermione surprised him by simply smiling before stepping closer and initiating contact. They danced comfortably for the duration of the song, conversing quietly about all sorts of unimportant things.

"He's not worth it, you know." A voice interrupted them as the song was coming to a close. They both abruptly turned in its direction to find Anya standing nearby.

"Excuse me?" Hermione responded, looking quite confused at the disruption. Xander was temporarily struck mute.

"I said, he's not worth it. He's just a regular, insignificant human being. Even his friends have a hard time finding a reason to be around him. He lives in his parents' basement, and he's had an embarrassingly small number of sexual partners." She leaned in and continued in a conspiratorial whisper, "If you're smart, you'll run far far away before he brings you down with him."

"Anya... what are you doing here?" Xander asked, his voice was oddly meek.

Anya looked at him with eyes that clearly displayed pity, "I'm currently working on finding the next person I'll have sex with." She looked around the room quickly as people were filing back in for the bands next set, "There's so many to choose from."

"That's, uh, nice Anya... creepy, but nice." Xander's mood was deflating rapidly, and after things had been going so well.

Anya looked unaffected, "I'm actually quite surprised to see you here with someone, Xander. I figured that since you're entirely undesirable that you'd be spending your nights alone." She looked to Hermione, "And you, you must be a seriously sad person to have been duped into coming here with him."

Xander's ire was up in an instant, "Hey! Insult me all you want, Anya, but leave her out of this."

Hermione, cut off by Xander's rushed defense, picked up after him, "No, Xander, I'd really rather she not insult _either_ of us." She glared at Anya, "I don't know who you are, or why you felt the need to come over here when you've obviously got _other_ things on your mind, but you would do well to step away."

Anya looked at her with something akin to pity, "You poor, delusional girl. Whatever he's paying you, as little as it must be, I still believe isn't worth it." Hermione looked as incensed as the moment she'd found him fiddling with the discarded wands, and he'd feared for his own life then. Anya was likely going to be a stain on the floor in mere moments. The crackle of energy that suddenly filled the air was faint, but it was enough for Anya to pick up on.

She cocked her head to the side, "You're magical. And you're with Xander? Why would you stoop to his level?"

The wand was out and in her hand in the blink of an eye and Hermione was glaring a hole through Anya, forcing the woman to step back, "Sod off, before I lose myself and turn you into something you wouldn't like to be. A rat, a beetle, or a rabbit, perhaps?"

Anya's eyes bugged out and she turned around to make a very hasty retreat from the club. Xander just stared at Hermione as she replaced her wand in the holster. Thankfully the band had started to play again and the confrontation was mostly concealed amongst the throng of people.

Hermione casually hooked her arm through the crook of his elbow and led him back toward their table. Xander nervously started speaking, "Anya, she's..."

"Quite rude." Hermione stated succinctly.

Xander chuckled, "Yeah, there's that... but I think it was pretty clear she's my ex. If you can count a single, uncomfortable encounter that I'd really rather not remember." He sighed, "I'm sorry about the things she said to you."

Hermione just shrugged and patted his arm, "It's quite alright. I've heard my share of uncomfortable statements. That girl reminds me a little bit of an old friend, named Luna Lovegood, except Luna was much more innocuous than her. In fact, I think I'm being rather insulting to Luna by even comparing the two. Luna wasn't rude, she simply didn't bother with the concept of tact."

Xander laughed as they reached the table, which Buffy had managed to save (for as small as she looked, she intimidated with the best of them). Riley was over at the bar getting them fresh drinks. Buffy looked pleased to see the state of their arms. Xander's eyes were filled with mirth as he finished, "Believe me, I know all about women with a lack of tact."


	18. Diving In Headfirst

**Chapter Eighteen: Diving In Headfirst**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Another delay in posting thanks to circumstances beyond my control. Roommate neglected to pay that pesky cable bill, which resulted in me losing internet access. Never mind about that, you came here to read story not excuses. The extra chapters I mentioned in the last note are a reality... there will be about three more incorporating a couple of Buffy episodes, and after that I'll make no more delays. England will be reached, and it will be Xanderized. Ugh, sorry about that.

--

It was when they returned from their evening at the Bronze that Hermione got the message she was now more than momentarily dreading. An unassuming barn owl perched itself on an eave near Giles' door and immediately flew to Hermione's shoulder upon spotting her.

She froze and was almost bowled over from behind. After expressions of concern for her sudden stop, including Buffy going into preliminary Slay mode, they saw what halted her. Upon seeing the owl, Xander too seemed to lose the wind from his sails.

The owl offered it's leg to her, and she mechanically removed the letter and unrolled the parchment as the owl took flight back towards L.A. As suspected, it was a simple letter from the American Ministry informing her that the dark wizard threat had been resolved and the ban on out-of-country travel had been lifted. She relayed this information to the others and said she needed to get things from her room. She almost seemed to run away and the door to her room closed loudly.

The five others looked at each other for a minute before they all fixed their stares upon Xander. He'd been staring his own hole in the ground, lost in his own thoughts. When he looked up and saw they were looking at him, he spoke up, "I'll go check on her." Upon reaching the door, he could easily hear sobs coming from in the room. He debated with himself before gently knocking on the door.

He could hear a commotion as she tried to gather herself before responding, "I'll just be a minute."

"Hermione, it's me... can I come in?" He asked softly. Some more commotion, and she responded that he could. He opened the door to see her things all arranged and ready to go. However, she wasn't looking towards him, in fact her hair seemed positioned to prevent him from seeing her face.

He closed the door behind him and went to sit on the bed. He could see her shake a little, and knew she was trying hard not to resume her crying. He did the only thing he could think of and gently placed a hand on her back, right below her neck, "Hermione, are you alright?"

And like a floodgate opening, she was upon him, her arms circling his neck and head buried in his chest. She was completely out of control, and he was caught off-guard. He'd known she had been crying, and was liable to cry some more, but he wasn't prepared for how fiercely it poured out of her and how much it would effect him. He immediately put his arms around her as well, and simply held her while she sobbed.

After an amount of time he had no grasp of, she finally recomposed herself and raised her head off his chest to look at him clearly. He couldn't help his arms circling her tighter as he saw how worn and disheveled she looked. Her eyes were puffy and red, and the streaks running down her cheeks caught the sunlight in a way that made them impossible to miss.

Her already bushy hair had absorbed an ample amount of moisture, taking on a darker shade and clung together that much more. She looked unlike anything he'd seen from her before, and he wasn't sure quite how to handle it..

"Thank you, Xander... I... I needed that," She spoke barely above a whisper.

He just kept staring at her, to the point that she looked away, embarrassed. He finally snapped out of it and knew he had to say something, but the right words weren't coming to him, "Hermione..."

She immediately seemed to know what he was thinking and responded to his unasked question, "I'm just... sad. I never would have imagined what would happened here, these last weeks... I came here on the pretense of finding a wand for a witch, and what I found... the only other people I've ever met who welcomed me so willingly, without the barest hint of who I was or what I was like...

"It's been almost ten years since them... but you all, you treated me like we'd known each other our whole lives." She had to breath, as well as fight off another round of tears, "And now, I have to go home... but for reasons I don't understand, it feels like I'm _leaving_ home. Like I'm once again taking a trip to a far off land filled with strangers."

He smiled faintly, "That's just who we are, Hermione. That's just who I am. I've been an outcast for so long, even from my own family... I could never treat anyone like that, not without hating myself for it." It was her turn to stare at him for several moments.

"You're wonderful, Xander... just... fantastic beyond words." She sighed heavily, "But I have to leave... I have to go back." She sounded like it was the last thing in the world she wanted to do.

Xander gently rubbed his hands up and down her back, and the action seemed to sooth her and pain her at the same time. He knew he had to do something, he wouldn't just let her disappear, even if he wasn't completely sure why he couldn't stand it if she did. He smiled faintly again, "Tell me about magical travel, Hermione."

This seemed to throw her for a loop, "What?"

He tried not to laugh and repeated himself, "I want to hear about magic travel some more. Tell me what it's like. What it takes, how easy it is." She still seemed unsure of what he was getting at, "How difficult is it to travel from England to here, or the other way around? Is it really difficult, or is it like the blink of an eye?"

She took a moment to process his questions, "It's... both. There's apparation, but it's too dangerous to try and travel _this_ far that way. Too much chance you'll leave something behind... it's called splinching, and it's a risk even for short distance travel. That's why I had to travel by Floo. But flooing isn't really practical for repeated long distance travel..."

He seemed quite curious, "Why is that?"

"It can get quite expensive, floo powder isn't free after all, and then there are the hubs. They're a bit like airports... you can't get through them without searches and identifications and it tends to be a lot of hassle. When I came here, I first had to travel to the hub, where all international travel passes through. Once I reached America, then I had to floo again to Los Angeles... it's the closest terminal to here."

He nodded, "I guess it's lucky Oz was already going to be there, so he could pick you up."

She nodded in reply, and suddenly realized something. She'd stopped crying. She'd even stopped shaking, which usually took her forever after a good cry. She looked at him with something close to shock.

He repeated her earlier trick and seemed to read her mind, smiling a little bit, "I'm told I'm a good distraction."

She smile at him shyly, "Xander, why were you asking about magical travel? Just to distract me?"

It was his turn to play shy, his face turning a red almost as vibrant as Willow's hair, "N-no... not exactly." He took a deep breath and seemed to muster his courage, "I want to come visit you sometime." The look of shock returned to her face, and she was struck silent once again. This wasn't the response he'd been hoping for, and he had to turn away so she wouldn't see his own eyes begin shining, "Uh... unless you don't want me to. It was just an idea."

"A brilliant one." She took a hand from around his neck to pull his face back so he could see her smile, "I'd love that, Xander. I would most definitely like for you to visit me. And I'd like to come visit you again as well." She smiled wider as the grin broke out over his face. She realized they were much closer together than she'd realized.

As they seemed to start drifting closer, there was a knock on the door, "Is everything alright in there?" Giles, of course. Xander briefly contemplated testing out a few of the spells Hermione had taught him on the ex-Watcher, but knew it wasn't the responsible thing to do.

He tried not to sound as frustrated as he felt, "Just fine, Giles." He gave her a look that asked if she was ready, to which she nodded, "We're on our way out." He reluctantly disentangled himself from her and held a hand out which she gladly accepted.

The remainder of the evening was spent discussing what would happen next. Xander was overwhelmed when Giles asked him to move in to the spare room as soon as he had the chance. Giles had wanted to do so ever since he'd seen just how unfit his parents truly were.

Hermione was more than happy to write out letters of recommendation for both Xander and Willow to give to the officials from Califia Wizarding Academy. Her name might not be as well known in America as it was overseas, but it would still go a long way to ensuring that they were treated well once they began attending the school.

The long night then caught up to all of them, and since Hermione and Xander had a early morning ahead of them, they all decided to turn in. Hermione conjured a pair of cots when Buffy and Willow said they wanted to spend the night and see her off in the morning. The emotionally exhausting day finally came to a close.

The next morning, Hermione woke Xander up before presenting him a sugar-laden cup of tea and a smile. He grinned at her sleepily and sipped at it greedily. When she went to retrieve her things, he followed close behind. She was taking one last look around the room, and in the meantime he'd started picking up her things.

"Xander, I can carry my own things," Hermione declared. However, Xander would have none of it. The only thing he let her carry was her purse, because men just don't carry purses. She slapped his arm when he uttered that sentence, to which he grinned back at her.

They made their way out to Giles' sitting room, and as soon as they saw him carrying her things, Buffy leaned over and whispered something in Willow's ear. Whatever it was made her turn a crimson to match her hair.

Hermione began the process of saying goodbye, starting with Giles, "Mr. Giles, it's been a pleasure. I'm glad to know you're nothing like the school file I read. If I were you, I'd recommend appealing the ruling on your ban from 'magic' as it's quite clear you've made a dramatic turnaround from your youth." Despite her rather formal comments, there was a smile on her face as she shook his hand to show she was sincere.

Giles looked suitably flattered, and responded, "I'll do that, if you'll start calling me Rupert. Drives me spare to have everyone referring to me as Mister or simply Giles." His comment was directed at the other occupants of the room, but an unusually good-natured look indicated he was mostly joking.

"Yes, Rupert, I can see how that would be maddening." She replied with a smirk, before turning to Buffy, "Buffy, I can see you carry your burden with a strength and grace befitting your status as Slayer. You should never believe you are alone in this, your friends will always be there for you." She gave her a serious look, "That includes me. I'm just an owl away if you ever need me, just ask Rupert how." Buffy surprised her by pulling her into a hug, and she was suddenly reminded of Mrs. Weasley because of the strength involved. Buffy let her go and smiled as she steadied herself.

"Willow, I wish you the best of luck with your new wand, as well as your studies. The offer to Buffy extends to you as well. I can't stop by all the time, but I'm more than willing to correspond with you about anything you're having trouble with. Although I'm sure Rupert is more than capable of helping you with anything you need to know." Willow was watery-eyed, and didn't hesitate to envelope Hermione in a hug reminiscent of another redheaded girl she knew back in England.

"Don't be a stranger, missy. I expect a Christmas card." Willow spoke while using her resolve face. Hermione now knew what that face meant, so she smiled brightly and nodded.

Finally, Xander was standing nearby, still holding up all her things. He grinned, "Should we have our tearful goodbye here, or wait until we really part ways?"

She tried not to let her emotions break free as she smiled back, "I think we'll wait." She stopped one last time, facing her newfound friends, "I'll send a letter as soon as I've arrived home, and I'll try to keep in touch as often as I can." They all waved at her and she exited the front door.

Xander said his own goodbyes to his friends before starting to follow her, but he paused when Buffy got his attention, "Have _fun_, Xander." He turned to see the smirk planted firmly on all their faces, even Giles, and he knew he'd never hear the end of this. At the moment, though, he didn't much care. He closed the door behind him and made his way out to the Chevy parked in the lot.

Hermione was leaning against the side of it and, by the way her head was hung, she was crying again. He quietly placed her things in the back seat and turned to her. She looked up at him, wiping her eyes quickly, "I never thought I'd _ever_ be so reluctant to go home, Xander. I want to stay here so badly... but I know I have to go back."

He pulled her chin up so he could look into her eyes, "It's not forever, Hermione. You already said that I can come visit you sometime, and I'm holding you to that." He cracked a smile for what seemed the millionth time since they'd met, and once again she couldn't help but smile right back, "Let's get going, we've got a long drive ahead of us."

She opened the passenger side door and sat down, but seemed slightly confused by his statement, "Aren't we just going to the city limits again?"

He sat down behind the wheel and looked at her seriously, "I... I don't want to say goodbye either, Hermione. I'm going to delay it as long I can... so I'm driving you to Los Angeles."

She looked taken aback for a moment, then smiled faintly and nodded. They both put on their seat belts, and after Xander turned the ignition, she tentatively reached out and grabbed hold of his hand. He looked over at her, then at their hands, and grinned like a madman.

He gave her hand a comforting squeeze before moving it back to the steering wheel and putting the car in drive. For the first time since he'd bought it, the car didn't sputter and cough, it ran as smooth as the day it rolled out of the factory.

The trip to LA was very therapeutic for the both of them. It gave them time to acclimate themselves to the fact that Hermione was going away. Xander spent most of the time asking her about things in the wizarding world he hadn't gotten around to yet, especially communication. She could tell he was anxious to find ways to talk to her as often as possible.

She explained that the Floo network was often used to communicate frequently across Britain, but wasn't really recommended for long distances for the same reason as apparition. Sending letters with owls was the most reliable way of communicating over long distances, but even that wasn't really meant for it.

She reassured him that they would figure out the easiest way to stay in contact as soon as possible. She also mentioned an idea she'd had inspired by a gift her friend Harry had received from his late godfather. She would have to investigate if it would work from that far away, but she didn't see why it wouldn't.

Before they knew it, Los Angeles was around them and she reluctantly gave him directions to the Ministry. The building looked unassuming from the outside, but he was quickly awestruck by the grandeur of the place. Honestly, he was awestruck by the little badge that popped out with his name embossed on it; the Ministry itself was just icing.

She wished she could give him a tour, but didn't know the place very well herself. Instead, she promised to give him a tour of the British Ministry when he finally came to visit.

She hadn't been kidding in anything she said about flooing. He was quite startled to see people engulfed in green flames and simply disappearing. It unnerved him and he was tempted to ask her not to do it, as he feared something would go wrong and she'd be burned alive.

She saw the anxiety in his eyes and calmly reassured him that it was perfectly safe. She chuckled as she imagined what his reaction to a floo call would be. She put that on her list of things to do, as she knew the story would provide a much needed chuckle to George Weasley when he heard it.

All too soon, it was Hermione's turn with the Floo. He hadn't really realized he had been holding Hermione's hand the whole time they were waiting, but now he was reluctant to let go. Hermione seemed just as hesitant.

"It's been wonderful, Xander. You've made this whole ordeal so much better. I really meant it when I said I'd love for you to visit. I want to arrange it as soon as possible." She clutched both his hands in hers, almost tight enough for him to complain. But he wouldn't, because he felt like crushing her hands right back.

"We will. You're amazing, Hermione... just... amazing," He said with wonder. The line behind them started grumbling, so they faced each other and tried to finish up their goodbye as rapidly as possible.

He pulled her in quickly for a hug, and was a bit surprised to feel her place a kiss on his cheek. She could tell she was startled, but almost immediately felt the grin spread across his face. The kiss was short, but most definitely sweet, and they both pulled away grinning.

They exchanged a whispered goodbye before Hermione grabbed a handful of powder and clearly pronounced, "American International Floo Hub" She disappeared in a plume of green fire, and Xander resisted the temptation to follow. He'd be stopped before he could make it, but the urge was there just the same.

He quietly made his way back to the Chevy, not nearly as solemn as he'd expected himself to be. Of course, receiving a kiss on the cheek from a girl he was mad for certainly helped alleviate the pain a little bit. As he sat down behind the wheel, though, he realized it was going to be an awfully long and lonely trip back to Sunnydale.

However, he was thrilled to know she seemed just as mad about him as he was for her, which meant they'd fulfill their promises no matter what. Now he just had to wait.


	19. Out Of Body: Part One

**Chapter Nineteen: Out Of Body – Part 1: Distraction**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Real life is becoming a bit of a pain... work has started taking up a lot more of my time, and when I'm not working I'm still going home to a lack of the internet. Anyway, this is the latest series of chapters incorporating the events of a few Buffy episodes into the storyline. These chapters set up a lot of things for the future of the series. Just like last time, I'm going to try and post these every other day. Luckily, my schedule for the week actually accommodates this, for once.

--

Roughly one month after Hermione's departure back to England, things were moving along in Sunnydale. Willow and Xander had received contact notices from the Califia Wizarding Academy and were scheduled to begin attending at the next term, which would start just after the first of the year. They also had an orientation to attend just prior to the Christmas break to help get them familiarized with the campus.

Xander was understandably out-of-sorts about the whole thing, as he was both eager to begin his true education in the ways of magic, but also anxious about the distance separating him from his newfound 'thing' with Hermione.

He wasn't quite ready to call it a relationship, a boy/girlfriend sort of arrangement, as he realized that distance could do any number of things to a fledgling connection like they had. She could easily move on and find a guy right there in England who would be a much easier relationship for her than a decidedly long distance one. He had to pinch himself every day that he heard from her and she reaffirmed that she wasn't looking elsewhere.

So, for the moment, he was in an acceptable limbo as far as it was concerned. He wasn't prepared to call himself 'boyfriend' but he was also grateful enough to be considered 'more than a friend.' One good thing about all the hullabaloo over his schooling was that it provided adequate distraction for his insecurities. He just didn't have time to stop and worry about it constantly.

"Did it have to be pink? Really?" Xander complained as he spoke into a small compact mirror that was very much the pink he was whining about.

Hermione responded in amusement, "It was the first mirror I grabbed, Xander. I'm sorry for the color, but is it really that important?"

"My male pride is screaming yes, but the rest of me that's glad to see you could really care less. Just, y'know, if you happen to get the itch to make me a new one in a really bad ass black or even a manly blue, go with it okay?"

She just rolled her eyes while smiling, "I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

Xander heard the door to the apartment open accompanied by familiar voices, prompting him to excused himself from his conversation with Hermione for a moment.. He peeked his head out the door and saw Buffy and Willow talking about something he couldn't quite make out. One thing that he didn't need to be able to hear in order to pick up on was that Willow was upset.

He pulled the mirror back up to his eye line, "Hey, Hermione, is it okay if I call you back later? Buffy and Willow are here and Will is looking a little... out of sorts."

Hermione recognized his tone and nodded, "Yes, of course. I've got a few things here I need to take care of. Send Willow my best wishes."

Xander smiled, "I'll make sure to do that, thanks." They exchanged goodbyes and Xander went out to join his friends. They quickly caught him up on what they'd been discussing, namely Oz's distraction in recent weeks.

"I don't know what's wrong... and he won't tell me. He says everything is fine, but I can see he's holding something back," Willow explained.

"When did you first notice anything?" Buffy asked.

"That night Giles came by the Bronze to see us. The band had that skankish girl singing, and Oz started acting kinda weird," Willow answered, then looked down at her folded hands, "I didn't do anything, did I?"

Xander put his hand over hers, "No, Will, you've been the same Willow you've always been. The good kind."

Willow didn't take his compliment the way he intended, "Maybe that's it! Maybe I've become old reliable. Oz might be getting tired of mousy, innocent Willow. What if I started doing some... _different_ stuff in the bedroom..."

Xander's eyes bugged out a little, "Whoa there, Will. Dangerously close to overshare there. Besides, Oz is into the whole Willow package. It can't be anything you've done." Buffy nodded in agreement. He took a moment before he suggested, "How about I go check on him in the morning and ask him what's up? Maybe he's just too embarrassed about something and is nervous about telling you? I know that isn't typical Oz style, but you never know."

Willow looked at him for a moment, visibly hesitant about putting Xander in a room alone with Oz, before nodding, "I suppose that could be it. Just remember he still kinda doesn't like you... just a little bit." She smiled at him sheepishly.

Xander just nodded, "I understand why. I'll promise not to tap dance on his last nerve, I'm just going to be there to get him to talk."

The sun rose the following morning, and Oz unwillingly woke up with a groan. He pulled a hand up to keep the sun out of his eyes and started to stir from his bed. Something bit into his skin that made him curse, and he began to notice he wasn't lying on a mattress or even the floor of his cage. He turned slightly and pulled a rock from the small of his back.

His eyes shot open when he heard the chirping of a bird. The cellar where his cage resided wasn't in a place where birds were easily heard. It was as his eyes opened that he saw not the concrete ceiling of his cage, but the open sky through a canopy of trees.

Panic set in immediately, as he scrambled to his feet and surveyed his surroundings. The trees and shrubs here were close enough together that he could easily hide his stark nudeness from anyone who happened to pass by. He huddled next to the base of a tree and looked at anything that might tell him where he was.

He saw a landmark that told him he wasn't too far away from the cellar where he locked himself up during his transformations. He began making his way there, sticking to the bushes to keep from being seen.

He made it into his cellar and saw his cage door sitting wide open, no signs of a forced exit to be seen. Someone let him out? He saw no smears of blood and no human remains, so whoever did it either ran out fast enough, or found a way not to be hurt.

All further investigation was halted when he heard a faint voice outside saying, "Now which one was it again?"

He scrambled into the cage and slide the door shut. He then started pulling on his clothes as quickly as he could. He'd just started pulling on his shirt when he heard footsteps entering followed by a relieved, "There you are! Y'know, if it didn't mean some evil person could walk right in and kill you, I'd say you need to put up a sign outside so we can know which building this is in."

Oz finished with his shirt and looked at Xander suspiciously, "What're you doing here?"

Xander's smile faltered a little, "Well, I'd love to say I came to visit my bestest pal in the world, but I think we both know that's nothing close to the truth. I'm here because Willow is freaking out."

Oz was instantly worried, "What happened?"

Xander looked at him strangely for a minute, "Far as I can tell, you did." He saw the other man's confusion, "She thinks there's something going on with you, and that you won't tell her what it is."

Oz started, "There's nothing..."

Xander cut him off, "Save it, please, I don't need you to feed me a line. This is Willow we're talking about here. You and I both know what I'm willing to do for her, and I'd really like to think I can get a straight answer out of you for the same reason."

Oz immediately stopped his hedging and began looking thoughtful, but not talkative. Xander picked up the slack again, "She says it started around the time that band was playing at the Bronze... you know, the one with the good looking lead singer?"

The reaction he got from Oz was equal parts expected and not. Oz visibly flinched, and it was just about all the evidence Xander needed. Oz tried to speak again, "I..."

"This had better be a darn good explanation for why you're freaking Willow out over another girl. I know I don't have much room to point the finger in this situation, but I'm damn sure going to keep something like this from happening again. So please tell me what has you falling for another girl?"

Oz sobered up when Xander started bringing up the fluke, and he felt his prejudice against him slip back, even if just a small bit. He looked at Xander seriously and began to open up, "I'm not... falling for her, so much as I'm _attracted_ to her."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "Is there that much of a difference?"

Oz nodded, "It's like some part of me is... _drawn_ to her. Some part I can't control." He suddenly remembered how he had woken up that morning, "I think it might be the wolf." He then told him about waking up outside that morning and rushing back here. Xander didn't look especially pleased to hear that, but figured the right thing to do was taking this to Giles, Buffy, and... Willow. This would not go over well.

In the Sunnydale Memorial Hospital, a heart monitor kept a steady pulse, indicating it's source was in a deep, dreamless sleep. Under normal circumstances, a patient in the same position would have worn away to the bone, likely stuck in a vegetative state for the rest of their lives. This was no normal patient.

Not only was she not as gaunt and weak as most coma patients typically were, she even seemed to be recuperating at an impressive rate. Her muscle mass was almost where it was when she'd been brought in, her body seemed to be determined for her to stay as close to healthy as it could manage. At worst, she seemed dreadfully pale for the time spent inside the hospital room.

The heart rate on the monitor inched up first one then two beats per minute. In the following minutes, it gained two more. The girls eyes remained closed, but fluttered rapidly under their lids, as if she'd begun to experience a dreamstate.

"What?" Willow stared at Oz, dumbfounded. He'd just explained everything to her, Buffy, and Giles just as he had to Xander.

"The wolf has been drawing me to her. I've been fighting it, but the wolf will eventually win out, I know it." Oz seemed uncharacteristically sad as he answered, "I don't know what to do."

Willow's eyes were watery, "Why couldn't you tell me?"

"Because... how can you explain to your girlfriend that your inner animal is attracted to someone and is willing to do anything it has to to get them?" He couldn't meet eyes with her, "If it came down to it, the wolf would kill you to be with her, even if that's not what _I_ want." He tried to stress the last part as strongly but calmly as he could.

Xander asked, "What can we do, Giles? This girl is using some mojo on Oz, but is that enough to take her out?" He was very careful about how he said that. He didn't want to belittle Willow's feelings on the situation while he pointed out that a lethal response was a little over the top.

Giles thought about his response, "The only thing we can really do at this point is to question this girl in a controlled environment, and ascertain just what is going on; whether she's a witch using magic or something else entirely."

Oz spoke up, "They're playing the Bronze again tonight..." He still had trouble meeting Willow's eyes.

Buffy didn't allow the tension a chance to rise, "Then we muster the troops, head to the Bronze, and we have a chat with Little Miss Skank." She went to call Riley to bring him in on the mission.

Oz took a step towards Willow and was saddened to see her shrink back, "Willow..." She kept her eyes away from him. He then stepped back and turned away from her.

Xander spoke to him quietly, and with a slightly surprising tone of sympathy, "It's probably a good idea to give her some space... It could have been a _lot_ worse if you hadn't come clean... she just needs time." He turned to Willow and addressed her, "How about I take you over to hang out with Tara for a while?"

Willow nodded, desperately holding back her tears, not wanting to break down in front of everyone. She allowed Xander to help her up and direct her out of Giles' place. Along the way he tried to comfort her and let her cry on his shoulder. Oz just watched them leave, his posture and face showing more emotion than they liked to express on the outside.

Back at Sunnydale Memorial, the heart monitor was pulsing at an almost normal rate, though no one seemed to have come to check on the gradual change in heart rhythm. By now, the girls eyelids were fluctuating almost faster than an observer could see, and her fingers had begun to twitch. A little more color had returned to her face, but she still looked dreadfully pale, but nothing close to weak. One might get the impression she was a crouched tiger, waiting for it's moment to pounce.

Their plan for the evening consisted of two parts. Willow, Xander, Buffy, and Riley would take up posts at the Bronze and attempt to confront Veruca in as safe a way as possible, as there was no way to know what she was capable of. Giles would sit watch over Oz while he turned wolf for the evening, making sure no one came in to release him as appeared the case the night before.

Buffy and Willow were taking up central positions in order to catch Veruca by herself, while Riley and Xander were in fall back positions in case she tried to make a run for it. Both Willow and Xander were mentally running through the wand work needed for their chosen emergency spell. Hermione had just finished showing them basics of the Stupefy curse and it's counterspell. She hadn't gotten a chance to get into the practice session they typically had when learning a spell.

Buffy worked her way towards the stage with Willow on her heels. The band was closing out the last song of their set, and this was the best time to try and talk to Veruca. The girls eyes narrowed upon seeing them approach, quickly shifting in the direction of her band mates nearby.

"Veruca!" Willow practically yelled. The faintly feral smile which crossed Veruca's lips was unsettling.

She greeted them breathily, "Hello, Willow." The girl in questions eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you know my name?" Willow asked nervously.

Veruca seemed to enjoy the redheads anxiety, "Simple. He stinks of you, and I found out all I could about you. Whoever decorated your bedroom really should die painfully." She grinned fiendishly, "Maybe next time I stop by, I'll ask your parents about it."

Both Buffy and Willow felt a chill run up their spines at the girl's cocky and thinly unveiled threat. Buffy's hands curled into fists on instinct, she could feel the girl's power radiating in a way that wasn't there just moments before. Whatever she was, she had gotten very good at hiding it.

"I don't really respond well to people talking that way to my friends," Buffy groused. She decided to drop all pretense and back the bitch off, "I don't know what exactly you are, but you're going to leave Oz, Willow, and pretty much everyone else you've ever looked cross at alone. Getting out of town would be recommended."

Veruca's feral smile was back, this time directed at Buffy, "You really have no idea what I am? I'm surprised a Slayer would have that much trouble spotting one of my kind... then again, I have had quite a bit of practice at keeping it a secret." She turned her eyes to Willow, who gasped at seeing they'd become the color of amber, "If you want me to stay away from your boyfriend, then you're going to have to kill me. Because nothing short of it will keep my from my mate!"

They both watched in awe as the form of the girl shifted suddenly; twisting, bulging, and elongating in a number of ways which would seem impossible to the casual viewer. It took only moments before a silvery werewolf stared them down, looking nothing like the wild and uncontrollable creature Oz turned into three days a month.

The beast look at Willow with intelligent and dangerous eyes for a second before turning to the band members on stage and howling to them. They all went through a similar transformation as Veruca, and that's when all hell broke loose.


	20. Out Of Body: Part Two

**Chapter Twenty: Out Of Body – Part Two: Awakening**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: In case no one picked up on it, the first episode I brought into this episode was Wild At Heart. The next three chapters will introduce events from the episodes This Year's Girl and Who Are You. Events will happen quite a bit differently than it did in the series, that's for sure.

--

The screams erupted almost immediately, and the gathered crowd went into a panicked frenzy before any of them could even think of a way to play the situation off. A handful of people transforming into monsters out of their nightmares was not something people were going to just ignore and forget. At least not until morning.

In the rush of people, Riley and Xander lost sight of Buffy, Willow, and Veruca-wolf. They fought their way to the front of the exiting mass, hoping they wouldn't be too late to the fight. They made it close enough to see Willow crouched on the ground, bleeding but not severely injured, as well as Buffy trying to beat one wolf into submission while not allowing the rest of the pack to flank and overwhelm her.

The silvery wolf that Veruca had become seemed to growl commands to her pack, forcing them to keep back and allow her to face off with the Slayer on her own. Xander didn't know how long that attitude would last once Buffy started with the real ass-kicking, so he exchanged a look with Riley and began to attack.

He fired a stunner at one of the former band members while Riley shocked another. Riley's shot was quite effective, while Xander's wasn't nearly as powerful as he'd hoped. His target did stumble momentarily, but quickly shook it off with an alarmed look in it's eyes. He could almost see the wheels turning in it's mind, and as it turned to Veruca to issue what he assumed was a warning, he fired another spell at it.

The wolf's fur burst into flames, sending it into a fiery dance which resulted in it slipping off stage and landing on it's head. Whether or not it died in the fall was of little consequence as the fire continued to consume it's unmoving form. At least he'd gotten the hang of Incendio already. His stunners definitely needed work.

The remaining band members were picked off by one means or another, limiting their potential for carnage. Willow tried to help out as much as she could, as the injury she'd received was on her wand arm, and the pain made the motions almost impossible to perform. In the end, Veruca was left alone against the Slayer, just like she'd wanted. When she realized the shift in control, however, she let out an enraged howl and looked for a way out.

She saw an almost clear line of escape open up, the only thing being in the way was the injured Willow. She saw it as an opportunity for two birds with one stone.

She dodged a high kick from Buffy and took off towards her exit. Willow's eyes were wide as she saw the beast run right for her, and began to pull her wand up only to lose her grip on it. Just seconds before she would have been cut down by the silver wolf, a flash of red collided with the creature and sending her off course.

The wolf rolled through the impact, looking fairly groggy but well enough to roar in anger once more. She didn't hesitate a moment longer, running off in another direction to make her escape. They all failed to react in time to her move as they'd temporarily shifted focus on to Willow.

Xander quickly made his way over to her, "You okay, Willow?" She nodded before wincing at sudden pain from her injury. He looked over the mild but still ugly wound on her arm, "Dammit, I need to work on my Stupefy... I couldn't even knock one of them out."

Riley commented, "Considering the fact we just faced down five werewolves in close quarters and nobody died, I think we can call ourselves lucky." He then called in to the Initiative to pick up the subdued and deceased creatures.

Xander reluctantly nodded, "Anyone want to tell me how the hell she just turned into the wolf like that? Shouldn't she have gone all furball once the moon came up?" No one looked like they had an answer.

Buffy and Xander helped Willow to her feet, "We need to get that wound looked at, Wills. We should head back to Giles' place."

Willow suddenly resisted their pull, "Giles... Buffy, Giles is watching over Oz right now. Do you think Veruca..."

Buffy caught onto her train of thought, "Okay, things just got worse. Xander, are you okay with getting Willow medical attention? We've got to move." Xander fought a momentary internal battle between the side that wanted to help out in the fight and the part that wanted to make Willow all better. The battle was over quickly as his need to help Willow knocked out his desire to fight. It was more logical for him to see to Willow, as his magic wasn't completely reliable in combat just yet.

He nodded to Buffy, "Good luck, guys." He threw Willow's good arm over his shoulder and began taking her out to his car. He spared a glance at Buffy and Riley taking off into the night towards Oz's home-made detention center.

The heart monitor no longer made it's steady beeping to indicate the well being of the patient it was connected to. It's power switch was now resting in the off position, and the sensors were laying across the mattress.

A girl was digging around in a bag that had been sticking out of a nearby cupboard. The girl brought a dark colored shirt out of the bag and pulled it over her head to end her final degree of nudity, although the shirt really left little to the imagination anyway.

She turned her attention to a thick manila envelope which made a rattling noise whenever she shifted it's position. She could see the outline of a VHS tape through the material, as well as a strangely shaped piece of equipment. She wanted to investigate the contents right there, but knew her lack of a registered heartbeat would eventually draw attention and she preferred not to be there when it came.

She did some last minute stretching as well as cracking the vertebrae in her neck before picking the envelope up and heading for the door wearing a sexy smirk, "Looks like this sex kitten is back in the game."

"If you don't sit still, Willow, then I'm not going to stitch this up properly. If I don't stitch it properly, that voids your warranty. Can't have that, can we?" He said lightly.

Willow gasped, "Xander! This isn't the time..."

"To what? Distract you from running out the door into a really dangerous situation? Come on, a guy like me couldn't let his longest and bested gal pal go out and do something stupid like _he_ usually does, can he?" He gave her a lopsided grin, but he could see she'd noticed it wasn't quite as bright as it could be. He handed her a pain-reduction potion to drink.

Willow drank the chalky potion and immediately felt the ache in her arm receded. Seeing a chance to occupy herself as well as cheer up her friend, she pounced,"So, on the topic of distraction... You did your best there, Xander. You distracted that skanky weregirl long enough to keep me from imitating shredded wheat... and hey, how about that cajun wolf you served up? That was pretty cool. Hermione would be proud."

He sighed, "Never thought I'd get to use it on anything other than vamps and candles." He briefly let his mind drift off. It had been a long time since they'd parted ways with Buffy and Riley, and they were both starting to get worried. If something went wrong, Veruca might track down Willow's scent and they'd have to defend themselves. He just hoped their magic would stand up to the test.

The front door swung open and three individuals came stumbling in, looking worse for the wear. Xander was immediately up to help Giles maneuver his way to the couch. He was limping slightly with his right leg, and an arm was clutching his ribs. Riley was a little scratched up, and Buffy looked like she'd gone mano-a-mano with a bag of hammers.

Willow asked with panic in her voice, "What happened?"

"Werebitch hit us right after we showed up to warn Giles. We had to fight in what little room the place provided us. Giles got tossed into a corner, Riley lost his blaster and took a swing from her claws... I beat the stuffing out of her, but that just seemed to piss her off more."

"Did you kill her?" Xander asked.

Buffy shook her head regretfully, "We had to back out of the place, to try and corner her. She's a hell of a lot stronger than any other wolf I've faced." She looked at Willow sadly, "She took the chance and broke open Oz's cage..."

Willow was afraid to ask, "Is he okay?"

Riley answered, with an non-committal tilt of his head, "We're not sure. We didn't want to risk hurting him, so they got away." He tried to sound as comforting as he could, but he had no idea what would set Willow off in this situation.

"She didn't seem to want to attack him... she was setting him free," Buffy continued, "I think she was serious at the Bronze... she thinks Oz is her mate and she's doing what she can to get him."

"We have to help him, Buffy! If he refuses to be with her, she'll kill him," Willow pleaded. Buffy gave her friend a hug, quickly joined in on by Xander. Riley took the opportunity to help Giles with his relatively minor injuries.

Xander sat on a nearby chair, "So, are we going back out there, or what?"

Riley answered from across the room, "I've ordered a few Initiative squads out to patrol... they're on the lookout for werewolves, with orders to subdue and retrieve."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure that's such a wise idea? They aren't going to try cutting him up the minute they get him, will they?"

Riley shook his head, "If or when they bring them in, I'll file Oz away as a 'mistaken identity' and get him released." They all looked at Riley in surprise, "What? You don't think I'm going to let them do experiments on one of your friends, do you? Even if we didn't have several other specimens that came in tonight, I'm not that much of an ass."

"Okay, good to know. Your status on the Christmas card list is confirmed," Xander joked. He turned to Willow, who still looked anxious about the peril Oz was potentially in, "Hey, Wills, how about you give Tara a call and see if she wants to come hang out with the Scooby Gang? I can swing by and pick her up. I'm sure she'd want to be of help."

Willow considered the idea and believed it was a good one. She gave Xander a nod, "Okay, I will. It'll be nice to have someone to help take my mind off _stuff_." She looked longingly out the window, and they could all tell she was still worried about Oz, so Xander gave her another hug.

After the call had been made, Tara had readily agreed to come and keep Willow company, so Xander headed out to his car and went to pick her up. "Be careful, Xander." Willow warned.

"Aren't I always?" He responded cheekily, "I will be. Not in the mood for imitating shredded wheat tonight, either."

Faith was lurking on the college campus. She'd broken into the Mayor's office, hoping to find him despite the fact that his Ascension had obviously failed. After finding the room empty and another person's name on the desk, she spent more time crying than she could ever remember. She thought she'd long since forgotten how to.

The video tape hadn't made it any easier on her, seeing the closest thing to a father she'd ever had explaining how he was most likely dead if the city still stood. He gave her a post-humus pep talk that had lifted her spirits as well as her desire for revenge. The device the Mayor had described to her, residing in her hand at that very moment, was a last chance opportunity to ruin Buffy Summer's life like the blonde had destroyed her's.

She saw a familiar car pull into the parking lot near the dorm rooms she was told Buffy resided at thanks to a fearful student. The grin which formed on her face was nothing short of devious. A new plan began forming in her mind, a way to wreak havoc on an entirely different scale.

Xander tossed his keys up in the air repeatedly, the other hand grasping the wand in his pocket while he kept his eyes peeled for any giant balls of fur that he'd rather avoid. He was still having doubts about how effective his magic was going to be. Would he ever actually be able to stun anyone with any real power, or was he doomed to being a nuisance zapping away at his enemies and only succeeding in making them angrier?

The jingling of his keys momentarily masked a rustling nearby, and he barely had time to register the voice in his ear, "Hey, boytoy... long time no see." Then there was an impact and everything went black.

The door to Giles and Xander's shared apartment opened up, and Xander took his turn stumbling in the door. He held a torn piece of his shirt against the back of his head and looked disoriented.

"Xander!" Willow hopped up and ran over to him, "What happened?"

"It's kinda fuzzy..." He was helped to a seat, "I was there on campus, and someone called out to me..."

"Was it Tara?" Willow asked, now concerned for her other friend.

Xander looked at her confused for a moment, then shook his head, "No, no... it was... it was Faith!"

"What?" Everyone but Riley responded in surprise.

"I guess she woke up from the hospital and decided another crime spree was in order. She tried to knock me out, but I ducked and she only managed a glancing blow." He gestured towards his head wound, "She kept coming after me, but I..."

Willow looked equal parts horrified and proud, "Oh! You stunned her?"

Xander gave her another weird look, "Uh, yeah... that's it. I stunned her." He winced as the cloth was pulled away from his head and Giles started looking at his injury.

"Where did you leave her?" Buffy asked, a tense look on her face.

Xander took a moment to respond, "I didn't... she's, uh, out in my car. I figured it was best not to just leave her out in the open." They all looked at him in shock, "What? Should I have?"

Buffy shook her head, "No, no. It's good, we know where she is. Riley, come help me bring her in. We're gonna need some shackles."

He followed her out the front door asking, "Who's Faith?"

Giles was suddenly shining a light in Xander's eyes, testing his pupil reaction, "Are you feeling alright, Xander?"

Xander nodded, "Other than a headache, I'm five by... uh, I'm fine." Giles raised an eyebrow but was satisfied that Xander was not concussed. He had Willow help hoist Xander to his feet and lead him to his room.

The remaining members of their group all stared at the unconscious Slayer with varying degrees of surprise, confusion, and disdain. The source of much grief and discord from one year prior lay dormant before them, and they were at a loss for what to do.

On the one hand, she had accidentally killed one man before going on to aid their enemy nearly bring about an age of dinosaur-sized terror. On the other, she was a victim of circumstance, catching one bad break after another and leading her to a downfall that very possibly could have been prevented. Did they report her to the authorities, to the Council, or do they choose a much more difficult and dangerous path of giving her a second chance?

The phone rang and Giles answered it after a moment, "Rupert Giles residence." He seemed unsettled by the voice that greeted him, and spared them a glance that did not set their minds at easy, "Yes, I see. Very well." He hung up the phone and returned to where he was sitting.

"What was that, Giles?" Buffy asked.

"Was it about Oz?" Willow followed.

He shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not. The Council is aware of Faith's awakening, as well as the fact that she has been brought here. We are to remain here and wait for the... _retrieval_ team to arrive."

"Why doesn't that sound as comforting as it should?" Buffy asked in confusion.

Riley shared a significant look with Giles before answering for him, "Considering everything you said Faith did, the team they'll be sending will specialize in... dirty work. They're job is to clean up messes."

Willow paled, and Buffy's mouth hung open. Giles agreed with Riley, "They're coming for Faith, and they intend to... remove her from the playing field If we get in their way or attempt to move her from this location, they'll likely attempt to take care of us as well." Giles' comments did not make their expressions change. It appeared as if the choice had been taken out of their hands.

Several hours later, Xander woke up in a most uncomfortable position. He was sitting up, his hands pulled behind his back, and his feet were stuck together. He groaned as consciousness came slipping back to him. He last remembered taking a hit to the head, and that was it. The sound of arguing filled his ears, though he couldn't make out who the voices belonged to. Where was he?

He tried to pull his arms from around his back and found they were securely shackled in place. He groaned again, "Oh, this can't be good."


	21. Out Of Body: Part Three

**Chapter Twenty-One: Out Of Body – Part Three: Retribution**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Another chapter bites the dust. Not a whole lot of stuff to stay, things are flowing and I'm in a good place. Thank you for the feedback I've been getting, it's helped me tremendously. On with the show.

--

His eyes flew open. Even with severe head trauma he'd be able to tell that was not his voice. He caught a glimpse of his surroundings. He was in a dimly lit room that looked like it hadn't been used in many years. The lighting meant it was at least mid-day. The décor suggested an abandoned warehouse. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous it was not.

There were three other men with him, dressed in all black. He started to open his mouth and ask what was happening when a rush of movement preceded a boot jamming against his throat.

"Keep your mouth shut, bitch," was demanded by a decidedly British accent. He felt the blood rushing to his head and the struggle for oxygen beginning. The boot remained firmly below his chin, preventing his esophagus from drawing in much needed air. He tried to cough, but even that gesture was denied him, "Where you're going, no amount of talk will save you."

After one of the other men cleared their throats the man backed off, removing his foot from it's place in his throat and the coughing he had been attempting overwhelmed him. He drew in heaving breaths, and tried to ignore the sense of surreality as he noticed how different his breathing sounded. He dared to open his eyes again, but kept his mouth firmly shut. Breathing in through his nose would have to sustain him for the time being.

He looked down momentarily and saw two big clues to the fact that he wasn't quite himself at the moment. He resisted the urge to utter the first thought that came to his mind, 'Huh... so that's what breasts look like from here.'

When he looked back up, he saw the boot happy man leering at him. If he took one thing away from this whole experience, it would be that leering was a bad, bad thing. He promised he'd never leer at a woman again... at least not a woman he'd never met before. Leering was officially off his list of appropriate behavior with strangers.

The man who had discouraged the choking smacked the first on the arm, "Quit it, she's strictly off limits."

"Come on, she's going to die anyway... do they really care about what kind of shape she arrives in?" He whined.

"I don't suppose I have any say in the matter?" Xander stupidly put forth. He knew he was about to enjoy another boot assault, but it couldn't be helped. He saw the hair-triggered Brit climb to his feet, but the third man stopped his partner this time.

The man spoke to him with an air or reasonablity, "You know our orders. They want this controlled in the absolute strictest sense. You've already done too much with your boot-whipping. Any more and the Council won't even pay us for this retrieval."

"The Council?" Xander asked in confusion. The more he spoke, the more familiar the voice became. He really should have gotten it already, but the acoustics of the human skull have their way of distorting things beyond recognition.

The hothead responded in a remarkably cooler tone, "You don't really think they were just going to let you walk, did you?" He laughed hollowly, "You can't turn into a rogue agent and expect them to look the other way."

Xander was confused, "Who in the hell do you think I am?"

The two men exchanged a look, "Give it up, Faith. The Council has already decided your fate. They can't have a renegade Slayer on the loose, and you've all but proven you're beyond rehabilitation. You will die so that a new, more reliable Slayer can be born."

Xander's, or more accurately Faith's, eyes bugged out, "You think I'm Faith?" He looked down suddenly. Okay, so there might have been a resemblance, because those were definitely familiar now. He then remembered what he'd heard right before being attacked the night before. That was definitely Faith's voice, now that he had time to reflect.

He looked at the men sheepishly, "Would you believe... that I'm really a guy trapped in Faith's body?" He saw their doubtful looks, "I didn't think so. I am so screwed."

That evening, Faith-in-Xander was enjoying the experience. She'd been able to ditch the goodie-goods after convincing them she was well enough to go off and work. The truth was, she was better than fine. Whatever magic had transferred her consciousness into Xander's body, had also apparently drawn the Slayer essence with it. The wound on her head, though still bandaged, had healed hours ago. She just had to remember to play it up if anyone got curious.

She hadn't bothered to actually go to Xander's workplace. That wouldn't be any fun at all! She had, of course, explored his body at the first opportunity. It certainly was interesting driving stick from this perspective.

After she'd gotten done with that, she cruised the bars looking for someone to hook up with. She'd already flirted with half a dozen girls and guys since going off on her own. She had half a mind to bring another guy with her to really stick it to Xander, but she figured she could live it up a bit and experience sex from the other side for once in her life. There was no telling how long this body switch might last, might as well get the most out of it.

The smoky blonde standing with her back to her was tickling her senses. There was something unusual about her, but even her Slayer senses couldn't seem to figure it out. No matter, if the girl was anything above human she'd do away with her in time. She didn't seem to find any appeal in the kill if it was just a regular girl, for some odd reason.

"Hey, hot stuff, you looking for someone to steer you around the curves?" Faith opened up with.

The girl turned so smoothly you'd almost assume she was on a turntable. She met Faith's eyes, and seemed to take a quick breath in through her nose. There was the faintest flash of yellow in her eyes, which a normal person might not have caught. There was definitely a slaying in the cards tonight. Too bad her release would be coming before it... oh well, she'd just have to find another person to work it off with.

The girl flashed her a predatory smile, "Honey, you're getting in over your head."

Faith just grinned back, "Maybe, if you're lucky." The girl gestured for her to follow and led her towards the back of the Bronze. Out in the alleyway, where the creature thought it had the advantage, it would be quick and dirty. Just the way she liked it.

Before Faith even had a chance to initiate any contact, the girl slammed the door closed and shoved her hard enough to send her to the ground. She threw some heavy objects against the door and turned back to Faith's prone form.

The feral grin was replaced with a snarl of rage, and her eyes had gone completely yellow, "You really think I'm stupid enough to fall for this? You stink of them, I could smell it the moment you set foot in the bar. You think I wouldn't recognize you?"

Faith did her best to lull the bitch into a false sense of security, "Listen, I don't know what you're talking about..." For once, she wasn't completely lying in an attempt to distract someone.

"Save it. I'd tell you to go back to the unworthy and the Slayer so you could tell them Oz is _mine_, forever and always. We will be bonded and there is nothing they can do to stop it!" The grin returned, "Unfortunately, I can't allow you to live long enough for that to happen. I hope you've made peace with yourself..." She then transformed from harmless looking girl into hell-in-a-furcoat werewolf.

Faith's eyes momentarily bulged, "Oh shit..." She had little time to elaborate, as the wolf lunged at her. She allowed her Slayer instincts to tell her the right time to strike. She planted her feet in the beast's midsection and rolled through to kick her off down the alleyway. The creature quickly sprung back to it's feet.

Faith retreated to the nearest pile of debris and pulled up the first thing she got her hands on. She threw the object up between herself and the beast and heard the sound of metal shredding in front of her. She looked to see the blazing red and white design of a stop sign staring back at her, with a wolf's paw slicing halfway through it.

She shoved back against the creature, sending it backwards. She flipped the sign around so the wording was facing the werewolf and swung it hard into the beast's next lunge. A metallic gonging rang out in the alley, and the wolf was left disoriented on the ground.

Faith threw the sign backwards without a glance and spared the downed wolf a smirk, "Y'know, you really should observe all posted signs, bitch." She bent down to finish the werewolf off when it sprang into action and kicked her legs out from under her. She immediately rolled to the side to avoid the flurry of razor sharp claws bearing down on her.

She got to her feet in time for the wolf to barrel into her, smashing them both through a stack of palettes leaning against the outer wall of the bar. The only thing that saved her from a close quarters shredding was the shard of wood which lodged itself into the wolf's shoulder. The pained howl reverberated off the windows for blocks.

The creature fell back to try and get the offending object out of it's arm, allowing Faith to escape further assault. She took a quick survey of her surroundings and formed a plan in the blink of an eye, "Hey, Werebitch, the only way Oz would want to bond with you is if he was struck deaf, blind, and _dumb_."

The shewolf roared and charged in a blind rage. Faith waited until the last possible moment before jumping up and over the incoming wolf, grabbing onto the ladder of a nearby fire escape, pulling herself out of the way of it's lunge. The result was Veruca driving herself face-first into a pile of shattered palette debris. The kicker, however, was the sheared pipe which lay beneath. It drove itself straight through the werewolf's chest, probably catching the heart on it's way through.

The poor beast whimpered as the blood poured from the wound. Faith watched as the bestial exterior began melting back into the form of a broken woman. Her eyes were staring out at Faith with something akin to a plea for help, and Faith felt a moment of regret. Flashes of the Deputy Mayor staring at her with a gaping hole in his own chest washed over her, and she needed to steady herself against the Bronze's wall.

Finally, the girl stopped her motions, her chest stopped it's rhythm. Faith prepared to bail, not desiring an encounter with anyone to witness her next to a dead body. Before she turned away, she saw something catch light around her neck. She cautiously reached down and grabbed hold of the object, pulling it's chain taut before snapping it completely.

She opened her palm to see what looked like dog tags looking up at her. The name definitely didn't match the gender of the body laying before her, piquing her curiosity. Something inside her warred with her disinterest in the real workings of the so-called 'Scooby Gang' that fueled her desire to see them broken.

She knew the others were desperately looking for Oz, and part of her could care less about his fate. But another, quieter part told her it shouldn't be so simple as letting him die because she didn't care. Oz had always been fairly cool to her... why did he deserve to die?

She swore again and swung the chain around her hand. What was getting into her, going back into Camp Buffy-Worship in order to save the one person out of many that hadn't given her a hard time? She turned tail and ran when the back door to the bar started rumbling against it's blockage.

Nigel was this close to killing the girl without caring about the consequences the Council would bring down on him, "Will you please just _shut up_!"

Xander wasn't deterred, "I'm just trying to explain to you what's going on here... even if I don't really _know_ what's going on here. I'm not Faith! I'm a guy! This isn't my body!" Nigel started reaching for the holster under his left armpit, causing Xander to shout, "Fine! I'll shut up. Stupid head." This sparked another odd glance between the two Brits.

Xander was well and royally screwed. He was tied up in some dark and dank 'wants to be an evil lair when it grows up' sty, shackled at the wrists and ankles, being delivered to a potentially evil, undeniably obnoxious group of overbearing British asses. Oh yeah, and he was stuck in the body of a girl who tried to strangle him before. Where was a dictionary when you needed one? He wanted to look up 'screwed' in it so he could at least see a picture of what he used to look like right next to it.

He wanted to growl. If Hermione was here, she'd have him out of the shackles in no time. If Hermione was here, he wouldn't even be _in_ the shackles. He needed to figure a way out of this, or she might just resurrect him long enough to kill him again. He wasn't quite sure if it was possible, but even that might not stop her.

He was wandless and that pretty much eliminated any chance he had of using magic to escape. Even if he had his wand, he wasn't in the right body to use it anyway. All he'd have is a reason for the two Englishmen to think he was completely insane... not that it would matter to them anyway.

If only he could use Faith's Slayer strength to bust the shackles apart. He didn't really feel any more powerful than he had in his own body, but there was definitely a hint of something he wasn't familiar with. Besides, breaking out was unlikely as his captors knew who they were detaining and would make sure they used the 'bust-proof' shackles. The word bust suddenly made him look downwards again. He was having serious concentration issues now that he had boobs.

If only he'd somehow brought his magic along with him during the body transfer... he wouldn't have a wand, but he'd been able to do the occasional wandless spell when he really concentrated. It took a lot out of him, but it usually was enough.

He suddenly remembered a conversation he'd had with Hermione during the trip to Los Angeles to deliver her back to the Wizarding World. He'd had many questions about how things worked, and never seemed to run out of them. One question in particular was about how a person comes to be a wizard or witch. Was the magic something that started small and developed as you grew, or was it something you drew in when you came of age?

Hermione's response had been that while magic did have ties to your physical body, it was much more an expression of your soul. While your body acted as a conduit, the magical core existed in a place you could always draw from, no matter what form you took. It was why animagi were even able to transform back into their human forms.

He crossed his fingers behind his back and hoped she was right. Who was he kidding? It was Hermione. Of course she was right.

He squeezed his eyes shut and thought of only one thing. Shackles unlock. Okay, so he was actually trying to mentally recreate the motions and incantation he'd usually need for the spell to work. Alohamora. Alohamora. Alohamora. He just hoped it wouldn't drain him too much if it even worked.

He felt the familiar warmth sweep through him and thanked his lucky stars that Hermione was as right as he always was. He heard the click of his shackles opening and immediately brought his hands around in front of him. His euphoria over the revelation was quickly dampened as the fatigue hit him.

Unfortunately, his captors also heard the sound of his shackles releasing and only hesitated a moment in their shock before springing into action. The rougher one, who'd planted a boot in his throat, was first to respond.

Instinctively, Xander planted one foot on the attackers while hooking the other behind his thigh. The result was using the man's own momentum to drop him face-first to the floor, knocking him out. The other pulled out what appeared to be a taser and made a more cautious approach. As he reached out with the device, Xander kicked out at the hand, knocking it away.

While the man clutched his arm from the blow, Xander drove his near foot into a place no man should ever strike another man. The cry of pain was cut off as Xander drove his other foot into the man's chest, sending him backwards into the wall, resulting in a loud crash.

Xander observed his handiwork with surprise. He'd dispatched two well-trained hunters with very little trouble. He'd almost felt like he could see them moving in slow motion, with a voice in his ear telling him where to strike and when. He suddenly had a feeling that the 'extra something' he'd felt earlier may just have been a taste of the Slayer spirit left over in Faith's body. He really had to share a 'holy crap this is awesome' moment with Buffy when this was all over. Assuming he survived, of course.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Xander heard yelled from the hallway. The door to the room began to open, and once again Xander acted on instinct. He lunged forward and drove his shoulder into the door as it swung. The man was halfway through by the time he reached it, and he was pleased to hear a collision and the sound of the wind being knocked out of whoever was opening it. However, he was bounced backward and off his feet, landing unceremoniously on his ass. He nearly gave in to his exhaustion then, but felt his adrenaline start to kick in.

He got back up to his feet in time to see his last obstacle. The man he'd sandwiched was climbing back to his hands and knees, albeit slowly, and he did not look happy. Thankfully, his positioning was such that all it took was a quick kick to the door to send it colliding with the man's extended head, knocking him cold. You really should be more careful about where you get up.

He looked back at his unconscious captors. He quickly checked all of their pockets and was rewarded to find a ring full of keys, as well as an assortment of very unfriendly looking weapons. At the very least he could disarm and strand the guys who had intended to sell him off to the Council.

He waited only a moment after making his haul before beginning to explore the building. He didn't have to go far, as right around the corner was an overlook onto the main floor of the building. From there he could see a large delivery truck parked on the ground floor. The stairway leading down took him back past the room he was being held in.

He gave the Brits one last sorry look, "Sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take your truck. I say it's a fair trade; you kidnap me, I steal your wheels. You don't expect me to run all the way back home, do you?"

He down to the vehicle and started it up. The doors in front of him were closed, but he had no clue how to get them open. So, he decided to open them the old-fashioned way. He hit the gas and plowed straight through them onto the street outside. He picked a direction and went; really, really hoping they hadn't managed to get him out of Sunnydale while he was unconscious.


	22. Out Of Body: Part Four

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Out Of Body – Part Four: Redemption**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: We've reached the end of this series of chapters, and the next one will feature the jump to England. No more stalling, I promise. This chapter weighs in a little heavier than most of what I've offered so far. I can't promise the rest will be anywhere close to this, but I'm not ruling it out. I'll just go with what I type. Feedback is appreciated, as always.

Author's Note 2: Oh yeah, and Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who reads this around November 27th. Have a Merry Turkey Day.

--

"You found this out... _how_?" Giles asked from his seat at his desk, somewhat in disbelief.

Faith felt uncomfortable under all this scrutiny. They thought she was Xander, shouldn't they just trust him? She suddenly remembered what things were like back before her term in the coma ward. Maybe they still didn't trust him with the important things.

"Xander?" Buffy asked in concern.

"I... I was out at a bar, okay?" Faith supplied, "I needed to blow off some steam, so I went cruising. I heard a commotion out behind the place, so I checked it out and I found that... Veruca girl dead in the alley."

A chorus assaulted her ears, "What?"

Faith tried not to roll her eyes, "Is it that tough to buy? Chick crossed the wrong monster this time, that's all. Shouldn't we focus, here? Those tags I pulled off of her could lead to Oz, right? Why aren't we all over that?"

Willow, in fact, was all over that. She'd hopped onto her computer and started researching the name stamped into the identification tags. She'd ignored the argument which had broken out over the 'how' of the acquisition of the information and immediately jumped into finding out where Oz was.

"You could have gotten killed, Xander!" Buffy protested, "I know you're not defenseless but this was just stupid. What if she wasn't dead? What if whatever killed her was still around?"

"Okay, okay! Geez, Buffy," Faith responded, then mumbled under her breath, "_When the heck did you start to care so much?_" Anyone else would have missed the comment, but Buffy's Slayer hearing picked it up clearly. She looked curiously at Xander, but made no mention of it.

"I got it!" Willow proclaimed. She was scribbling down an address faster than any of them could read. She closed her laptop and jumped to her feet, "Let's go."

"Willow, calm down. We should recon. There's no telling if Veruca had any more pack members, so we need to know what we're dealing with," Buffy spoke.

"Oz could be hurt! We can't waste time!" Willow objected.

Faith was quick to agree, "Willow here is right... we go in, we slay, we get the furball out of there. What's the holdup?"

Faith missed the looks exchanged between Buffy, Giles, and Willow. Instead she started browsing through the weapon's selection in anticipation of their agreement and future violence. She smiled when she heard Buffy say, "Fine, we'll go."

"That's what I like to hear. Let's go rescue the O-Z." Faith picked up an axe and swung it in her hand. She was looking forward to some more wolf-slayage.

Xander had lost quite a bit of time getting his bearings in the seedier portion of Sunnydale. One run down warehouse or factory seemed to look like another. He wanted to floor it to get back as fast as possible, but attracting the attention of the cops would be a very bad idea. Today would be the day that Sunnydale cops would wake up and smell the coffee. The body he was wearing was probably still on the police's radar, and he'd just gone to a lot of trouble getting out of restraints. He didn't feel like a repeat.

Meanwhile, he was debating how best to try and explain just what had happened to his friends. 'Hey, guys! I know I might _look_ like Faith, but it's really your good-friend Xander in here and I'd really like your help in getting me back into my familiar man-shaped, breastless body.' Yeah, that would be a nice opening line.

No, he knew what he'd do when he ran into his friends for the first time. It was the same thing he always did... he'd wing it. And as he came to that rather simple conclusion, the bottom fell out of his plans.

The engine of the truck abruptly died. It didn't sputter to a stop, like a gas tank run dry. It quickly and suddenly stopped running. The flashing light on the display of a box that looked like it had been rigged into the dashboard told him all he needed to know. Killswitch Engaged. Wonderful.

He steered the massive vehicle to the curb and quickly left it behind. No telling what other security measures the vehicle had. He'd rather not be sitting on a bomb when it went off. Bombs sucked.

He started jogging down the sidewalk before deciding that it might not be a great idea to run out in the open, in case authorities or his kidnappers happened by. As he ran through backyards and alleyways, he was really hoping to find a friendly face when he got back. He needed all the help he could get.

Xander ran for all he was worth, but found himself marveling at one recurring obstacle, the bouncing of his artificially ample chest, "How in the hell did Faith avoid knocking herself out when she ran?"

From all outward appearances, the soldier's crypt was deserted. However, appearances could always be deceiving. It was the way of the slaying trade, the life they lived. It didn't help that Veruca's pack seemed able to mask their affliction from even the Slayer's keen senses.

"Why aren't we busting in there and kicking furry ass already?" Faith asked, impatiently.

Buffy glared at Xander's shell, "Because we're not in the business of suicide missions... Xander."

Faith rolled her eyes, "Come on, we're... you're a Slayer. You go in, kick tail. We go in, slice whatever is left. It's what we always do, isn't it?"

Buffy's glare didn't recede, "Did you bring your wand?"

Faith was visibly thrown for a loop, "What?" She immediately knew she'd screwed up, but tried to cover anyway, "Uh, sure. Of course." She didn't have a clue what she was looking for, but she hoped she'd be able to find this 'wand' on her borrowed body.

She patted down her pockets and struck gold, so to speak. She dug into one of them and pulled out a stick about ten inches long and made out of wood. How in the heck had she not noticed that before? How did it not snap during her fight earlier?

Faith tried to smile with confidence, "See? Don't leave home without it." For the moment, Buffy relaxed.

Buffy let out a sigh of frustration, "Okay, we go in. I lead, you guys support. You go for Oz and get out. Once he's free, we all move back out. A fight in an enclosed place isn't where we want to be, not for long."

They prepared themselves, Faith itching for a fight, before Buffy shouldered open the door and they all burst into the tomb. They even let out a battle cry to strike fear into their enemies. What they came face-to-face with was not what they'd expected; a rather safe-looking Oz.

"Hi." He greeted from behind the bars at the rear of the room.

Buffy immediately swept the room for threats but found none. She didn't let down her guard even as she whined, "There's nobody here."

Faith sounded similarly disappointed, "And I was all fired up for a slay."

Willow rushed over and quickly cast the unlocking spell to release Oz from his confinement. They hugged and Faith had to turn away from the sight. It bugged her in a way she couldn't explain to see them get all lovey-dovey. Instead she started making her way out of the crypt.

She heard Buffy call out to Willow and felt the axe being plucked out of her hands. She didn't have time to react as she heard Willow shout, "Stupefy!" A red beam struck Faith in the back and she fell unconscious on the floor.

Oz, seeing Willow knock _Xander_ out, looked at them strangely, "Did I miss something?"

Xander lurked in the bushes in the dark of the Sunnydale campus. In any other situation, he'd be considered a predator on the prowl. Okay, in this situation he might be considered that too. He certainly had targets in mind, and keeping to the shadows was a must.

He'd wanted to go directly to Giles' apartment, but after having his stolen wheels killed off on him, he figured the Council jerks hadn't wasted much time after waking up to cover the place in the event that he... er, she tried going back there. He took a cursory glance down at his temporary boobs and shook his head. They were definitely more of a nuisance when you were wearing them.

He was going to need to find a way to get word to them what was going on. He looked up just in time to see someone he recognized. She might be just the person to help him get in contact with his friends. He carefully stepped out of his hiding place.

"Tara!" Xander tried to say as calmly as possible. The girl in question turned toward him and looked confused. He was silently pleased to see her hands go to the cross around her neck and into her purse to grab a potential weapon.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" He could see in her posture that she was a bit on alert.

"Sort of." He sighed at her reaction to his words, and tried to explain, "I don't know if you're even going to believe this... I kinda got mojo'd into another person's body... and you're probably the only way I can contact the gang without bringing some pretty nasty guys down on us." The idea made him glance around for anyone who might be tracking him.

Tara's eyes widened a bit, "Xander?"

Xander's head whipped around so face he was assaulted by a curtain of dark hair that followed, "You can tell who I am?"

Tara nodded and explained, "Your aura... it looks like it's been jammed into the body through force." She looked momentarily sheepish, "Plus, Buffy and Willow kinda called and told me that you had something done to you by a girl named Faith. I can call them and tell them you're back..."

He smiled in relief, "Great! But we can't just tell them who I am and where we'll meet. Those nutzoid Watchers are probably gonna have the phone tapped... We'll have to get creative."

Just a few minutes later, Tara was on the phone with Giles, "...and he says he'd really like to meet up with you where you'll have _time_ to work it out." She hoped she put enough accent on the word Xander had told her to.

"_Time_ to work it over?" Giles took a moment to think it over before responding, "Yes, I believe I know just the place, Tara. Tell Xander we're all ready to put things back where they belong."

Tara smiled a little, "Okay, bye Mr. Giles." She hung up and turned to the body housing Xander, "I think he got it, and they're ready to reverse whatever happened."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "I get to have my body back?" He did a little happy dance, causing his cleavage to jiggle, "Okay, good... Because I'm entirely incapable of functioning with these things."

Tara giggled, and if Xander wasn't mistaken oogled his assets a little, "We should get to the clock tower to make sure it's clear."

Xander nodded, "Good idea."

Buffy and Giles entered the belfry with an unconscious Xander-body's arms draped across their shoulders. They both instinctively tensed upon seeing Xander-in-Faith's-body walking free. They then looked at him apologetically before dragging the figure in their arms over to a safe spot on the floor.

Buffy approached him cautiously, "Xander?" She started to reach her hand out to him.

"If you're thinking of poking me, I can tell you now there'll be no Pillsbury Dough Boy giggle to be found," He warned her. Her hesitation broke and she enveloped him in a hug that would leave him bruised, assuming the Slayer spirit left in Faith's body didn't heal it in like a nanosecond. He looked to them, "So we've got the unmojo figured out, right? I am _so_ ready to be a guy again."

Buffy couldn't resist the urge to tease, "Why the rush, Xander? We could take you back to the dorm and do a makeover!"

"The representative from guy-in-girl's-body says nay." Xander responded.

Buffy laughed, "Yes, we've got it all figured out. Willow called Hermione up on your mirror and got the details on how to charm a trinket to reverse the magic. All you've got to do is hold hands with Faith for a second, and whoosh."

"_Whoosh_? I fear the word whoosh." He did a double-take, "Wait, you called Hermione? Oh god." He saw Buffy roll her eyes at him, "Well, I suppose that removes the awkward 'how do I explain this to her' step. Thanks for taking care of that for me. How thrilled was she to hear she was dating a girl there for a few hours?"

Buffy just shook her head, "Don't be so relieved... she said something about a certain Weasley who might find the story interesting."

Xander paled, "She wouldn't!" He suddenly looked determined, "Okay, let's make with the magic, people. Maybe I can pretend it never happened and my dignity will be restored." He took the green glowing object that had been cautiously placed on a nearby table.

He started to reach for Faith's hand when Giles warned him off, "Xander, you do realize we'll need to subdue you? If you switch bodies at the moment..."

Xander once again looked down. Dammit, those things were inconvenient. He realized what Giles was saying though and put the charm back down, "Right. Faith might pop back into her awake body and cause more mayhem. So I have to be rendered unconscious. Again. Lucky me." He eyed the two of them, "Do either of you mind if I do this to myself? I'm not loving the bludgeoning I've received lately."

"Perhaps we could conjure you a helmet from now on," Giles wryly teased.

"Har har," Xander responded, "Fine. I'll try my hand at self-stunning. It'll be useful if I'm ever... okay, I'm not sure when exactly stunning myself would be all that useful, but that's not the point." He pulled out his wand and got ready to cast, "Can one of you at least humor me and shout 'Wonder Twin powers activate!' when you slap our hands together? A geek doesn't get many chances like this and it cannot be wasted."

Buffy just rolled her eyes, "Okay."

Xander knew his request would be forgotten, but he felt it necessary to make nonetheless. He raised his wand and commented, "Here's to waking up with a penis. Stupefy!" A red beam struck him in the chest and knocked him out as intended. Buffy quickly caught and lowered him to the ground.

Xander roused shortly afterwards and blessedly saw Faith's body laying nearby. He started to get up and found he was shackled. He groggily grumbled, "Okay, this whole bondage thing is really not doing it for me."

He turned his head to see Buffy and Giles, understandably aloof. He saw Giles pointing a wand and realized it was his and had been used to rouse him, "Good to see you aren't rusty with that thing, Giles."

Buffy tried not to act on her urge to hug Xander again and instead asked him to prove his identity, "How do we know you're really Xander?"

"Oh, how I am Xander. Let me count the ways. I know you've got a stuffed pig named Mr. Gordo. Giles watches Passions but doesn't really want anyone to know about it. I can get up and do the Snoopy Dance if you'd like..." He jangled his chains, "Okay, so it would be a really awkward Snoopy Dance, but I'd make do."

"Alright, that's quite enough," Giles warned him, mortification quickly arriving at the revelation of his television watching secret.

Xander smirked, "Really, cause I could go on..." He wanted to watch the man he was almost tempted to call 'dad' squirm a little bit longer, but a Buffy-hug stopped his fun. He felt it hard to breath for a moment there, until Buffy finally released him, "Okay, I hope there's some Slayer-stuff left in here, otherwise that's gonna bruise."

Buffy looked confused, "Slayer-stuff?"

Xander nodded, "When I was, uh... _in_ Faith. There was a little bit of the Slayer left over, that didn't seem to get taken away. Helped me kick a little kidnapper ass. I figure it'd be the same here, a little bit of whatever makes a Slayer a Slayer coursing through the old Xander veins. For a little while, at least."

Giles was curious, "Fascinating... I've never heard of such a thing happening." Giles then looked between Xander and the unconscious Faith, "Of course, I very well could say I'd never heard of _this_ happening before, either."

"Yeah, well, I'm just glad to being back to my boobless self," He looked down to observe the truth of his statement, "That was just weird."

"So, did you recognize Faith's body while you were in it?" Buffy asked with a hint of amusement.

Xander blushed, "Not at first, no. In my defense, I've never actually seen it from that side before. It's kinda like looking at landmarks backwards," He was pleased to hear the laughter his comment received then turned to Faith's sleeping form, "What are we going to do with her?"

This seemed to trouble them. No one spoke for several moments, until Giles broke the silence, "The retrieval team won't simply give up on her... they will continue to search for her."

Buffy looked down at Faith with a surprising amount of sympathy, "Can we really condemn her to that?"

Giles continued, "While she did perform rather dangerous magic in order to switch bodies with Xander... she also did the right thing and helped us to save Oz..." They both looked to Xander, who felt uncomfortable under the attention.

Xander gulped, "Are you saying _I_ get to decide?"

Giles didn't immediately confirm or deny the fact, "You are the latest recipient of her... less than reputable activities... it stands to reason that you would have a right to offer an opinion."

Xander sighed, "Oh, joy." He gave it a few minutes of though, "Alright, options one and two... Hand her over to the Council thugs or the Authorities. I gotta tell you, neither group of _gents_ have exactly endeared themselves to me over the last several years. Besides, the thing with the Deputy Mayor was an accident, and everything that followed was as much Faith going bad as it was a tremendous streak of bad luck and us not trying very hard to show her an alternative.

"By the time I tried, she'd already been pushed too far away. I can't just ship her off to let her die, and prison will probably only shut her down even more. Not to mention the Council would have no trouble tracking her down in there."

Giles and Buffy exchanged a glance, before Buffy spoke, "What does that leave?"

Xander's eyes filled with determination, "We make her disappear ourselves."

Buffy was momentarily confused, "I thought you just said death wasn't the right thing to do?"

Giles picked up on it, though, "I believe he's implying we should arrange for Faith to... fall off the map, as it were." Xander nodded in confirmation, "Where, though?"

Xander groaned, "Okay, I've got an idea, but you guys have to _swear_ to limit the knowledge of it to as few people as possible." They both looked at him in curiosity, and he seemed to have a lot of trouble getting it out, "A-Angel."

Buffy looked stricken, "Angel?"

"_Angel_?" Giles asked in disbelief.

"Angel!" Xander snapped, "Can we say his name a few more times? Look, hear me out. Who else do we know with about a hundred years of experience in making up for some really bad behavior?"

Giles contemplated the idea and looked to Buffy, "He is right."

Buffy still didn't look convinced, so Xander continued, "We hand Faith over to Angel and let him mold her into the upstanding citizen she has the potential to be. Okay, maybe upstanding is a bit strong, but it's not a bad idea. She becomes too much for him to handle, we go ahead and arrange for her to vacation in an all-women's prison."

Giles looked to be in agreement. Buffy looked down at her sister Slayer and considered the alternatives. After all Faith had done, from trying to pass off the blame for killing the Deputy Mayor on her, betraying them to align with the Mayor, and poisoning Angel, she still couldn't make the leap into condemning another human to death. A line like that was hard to come back from once you'd crossed it.

"Okay, but I don't have to like it," Buffy reluctantly agreed.

Xander nodded, "So... rock, paper, scissors for who gets to make that fun call?"

Oz stuffed another shirt into the bag he was packing. Willow sat on the bed next to it and tried not to let her emotions get the best of her. She tried to make eye contact with him, "Are you sure?"

Oz paused only briefly, "Yeah, I am." He stuffed more clothing into the bag, which was nearing full, "You saw Veruca and her pack. They had control over their wolves, the kind of control I've been looking for since I became one."

"So you're gonna go find out how they did it... travel all over the place to try and figure out. I get that." Willow made clear.

Oz stopped his packing and turned to her, "Until I can command the wolf like that, I'm always going to be a danger... to you, to our friends, to everybody." He grabbed her hand, "I know you want to come along, but you can't. I'm going away to try and _keep_ anyone from getting hurt, so I can't put you at risk like that. Besides, you're a witch Willow. You've got to learn how to use it the same way I need to learn how to use the wolf."

Willow looked ready to argue, but deflated quickly "I know... I want to help you, though!"

Oz nodded, "I know you do. Do you know how you can help me?" She nodded minutely, so he continued, "Learn to use your magic. Be as amazing at it as you are at everything else. You might just find something that'll help or even cure me."

Willow absorbed his comment and nodded, "Okay."

Oz zipped up his bag and looked at her one last time, "Willow, while I'm gone..."

"Don't worry, I will." She confirmed.

Oz looked uncomfortable with his next request, "Don't. This could take weeks, months, even years. I want you to promise me you aren't going to cut yourself off while I'm gone. Live your life however it comes, and whoever it comes with. When I come back from this, we'll see how our lives fit together, okay?"

Willow couldn't stop her eyes from watering and she looked down at her hands. She wanted to be shocked, she wanted to be outraged, but it didn't come. Even as he walked out of her life, on purpose, he was asking her not to be sad or to hold out for him. 'If you love something, let it go,' Willow thought. It was a thick voice that responded, "I promise. I hope it doesn't come to it, but I promise to try to be happy without you."

"I love you, Willow," Oz stated. He kissed her on the cheek and picked up his bag, sparing her one more look before he walked out of the room.

Willow didn't hesitate to start crying once he'd closed the door. She cried for everything she was losing and everything she wished she had. However, she also cried for the hope that things would turn out alright, no matter what the circumstances.

Several minutes later a knock on the door disturbed her solitude. She debated on whether or not to answer, when the knock sounded again followed by, "Willow? It's Tara. I was wondering if you might want to go out and have coffee."


	23. Across The Pond, And Down The Alley

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Across The Pond, And Down The Alley**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Finally, the story makes the move to England. It's been a long time coming, and I'm glad it's finally here. And because I've had you waiting so long, I've merged a couple of chapters together to give you a nice, solid first dose. For reference, during my original write-through this was Chapter Fifteen (and Sixteen). So yeah, I added a bit of extra content there. Anyway, here we go.

--

The hub attendant looked at Xander with annoyance. The American was tap dancing on his last possible nerve. Cracking jokes throughout the entire search of his possessions and person. He was about ready to send him back where he'd come from. It didn't help matters that he was also constantly talking into a hand mirror and ignoring the instructions he was being given.

"You really weren't kidding about these hubs, Hermione... I've actually seen DMV offices with nicer employees..." There was a pause as he waited for a response.

"Sir, I really need you to focus here. You're starting to hold up the line." The disgruntled attendant put forth in as nice a voice as he felt he could manage at that moment.

Xander turned to the attendant and tried to be jovial as he responded, "Hey, man... can't you see I'm talking to my girlfriend here?" As if to show the point, he turned the mirror to the attendant who got to see a pretty, bushy-haired girl blushing furiously before he turned it back around to himself, "I swear, Mione, I think this guy is gonna owe me dinner after what I've been through here. Are there laws against using excessive force during a strip search here in England?

Even the attendant couldn't hold back the ghost of a smile before resuming his sour face. "Alright, alright, I'll finish up. What is it I'm supposed to say again? Number Seven Drayton Lane? Got it. I should be there shortly... although I might need an extra minute to say goodbye to my friend here... y'know, they say you gotta make it a clean break. See you soon."

He snapped the compact mirror shut and turned back to the attendant. He considered cracking another joke, but the man seriously looked like he might like to kill him. So he decided instead to be diplomatic, "Sorry about being such a hassle... I hope I don't make you think all Americans are this... me."

Without another word, he got behind his trolley and quickly moved ahead in the line. He waited his turn before maneuvering the trolley close to the extraordinarily large fireplace. He tried to be quick about pulling his things from the trolley to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of Floo powder, and declaring, "Number Seven Drayton Lane" The emerald flames rose up and engulfed him and the next thing he saw was quite possibly the most beautiful thing ever.

Hermione stood in the sitting room of her flat, wearing a chocolate brown sweater and beige pleated trousers. Her hair was hanging around her face in the most remarkable curls he had ever seen. Just minutes before she had looked completely different in the hand mirror and he was struck silent by her beauty.

His shocked silence drove her to shyness, and she began looking at the floor. He immediately realized what he'd done and stepped out of the fireplace, not bothering to wipe the soot off himself. He stood before her and grabbed a hold of both her hands. "You look stunning, Hermione." She suddenly looked up at him, and a smile crossed her face almost instantly. He matched it with one of his own and he didn't hesitate to lean in and brush his lips against hers, "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

She slipped her arms around him and hugged him to her tightly, "I've missed you." She sighed as he ran his hands up and down her back, whispering the fact that he felt the same.

After several minutes of standing there in each other's arms, he pulled back and looked at her again, "Mione, how did you change so fast?"

She smirked at him, "Magic, silly." He looked suitably embarrassed, as he was getting quite familiar with the things that could be done with magic. He and Willow had been training with Giles in preparation for attending the Califia Wizarding Academy, which represented a large chunk of the southwest's magical learning community. He knew it housed students from California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and a plethora of others.

He wasn't scheduled to start until the next term began in the new year. He sincerely wished he could be closer to the ones he cared about while learning about his new abilities, and he was taking steps to remedy that. If all went well, he'd have a solution for that problem before this trip was over.

He took a look around at the modestly decorated house that had a distinct touch of Hermione to it. Bookshelves lined nearly every wall, and he suspected she already had them organized by an absurd number of cross-references. The essence of Hermione which filled the air made him feel at home for the first time in a long time, "This is your place, huh? Not as many books as I imagined."

She playfully slapped at his chest, "Oh shush."

"No, really, I thought I'd be getting lost all the time cause all the walls would look alike." He was grinning to show he was clearly being tongue-in-cheek, "I'll even bet your bed turns into a bookcase somehow."

She looked at him with a look that made him blush, "Wouldn't you like to find out?"

"Yes, please." He gulped and took the opportunity to give her another kiss, but found it did nothing to stop the look in her eyes.

"Someday soon, hopefully." She whispered.

He acted affronted, "I don't know what you've been hearing from Buffy and Willow, or that Floo hub attendant for that matter, but I am not that kind of guy. I require at least three dates before I'll show any skin." He accentuated his statement by raising his hand and lifting the appropriate number of fingers.

She laughed out loud, and hugged him tightly, "We'll see what we can do about that, then." She dusted the soot off his shirt before she grabbed his hand, enjoying how large it felt in comparison to her own, and dragged him over to a worn but comfortable looking sofa. She sat him down and proceeded to curl herself up against him.

He was content to sit there with her forever, just enjoying the company he'd been without for almost two months now. He had no idea how they had progressed so far, so fast, but he wasn't about to complain. A girl he had no idea existed a few months ago, he now feared he couldn't live without.

The correspondence had been comforting, but was no substitute for what they'd shared on the drive to Los Angeles and the wait in the Floo terminal. And yet, they had grown closer each day while surviving on what communication they could get.

It was helped considerably when Hermione had sent him a package via muggle post which contained the charmed compact mirror. Seeing her face staring back at him in the mirror had been unbelievable. Hearing her voice had him breaking down.

It was the sound of crying that brought him back out of his reverie, to see Hermione's face buried in his shirt as her tears soaked through to his skin. He rubbed his hand back and forth along her spine, which had seemed to work wonders the last two times he'd done it.

He understood where these tears were coming from, though, as he had half a mind to start the waterworks himself. Nothing compared to actually being here with her, and he was damned if he wasn't going to make the most of it.

Hermione's tears gradually subsided, which Xander's ego placed solely on his action of rubbing her back, and they both sat there enjoying the comfortable silence. His position gave him a clear view of a nearby clock, and a half an hour had ticked by before he dared speak, "So, do you have an intricately detailed and coordinated plan for this evening?" He asked jovially.

She laughed a little, "We're in the middle of it."

He sounded genuinely surprised, "Really? You're not going to drag me around to your neighbors and perhaps even the far corners of England to show me off to everyone you know?"

She sighed, "There'll be plenty of time for that. Everything I want is right here."

"That's my girl, the sentimentalist." He suddenly remembered something he'd said spur of the moment, "Mione, it wasn't presumptuous of me to call you my girlfriend, was it? I know we haven't really been on any dates..."

She finally lifted her head to look at him, "It was perfectly fine, Xan. In fact, I'd like you to do it more often." The grin that lit his face was infectious, and she joined him.

"Good, cause it was getting really old telling everybody there about 'that girl I like a lot.'" He laughed suddenly, "Buffy and Willow won't leave me alone. You think I'm childish? You should see them reverting to grade school with songs about K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" They both had a good laugh about that.

"How is everyone? I know they write me letters, but I'm never sure if they're telling me the whole story." She looked pensive, "Is everything with Buffy alright? Has Giles found anything to do for work? Is Willow going to be okay in that school?"

"Buffy is doing just fine, in fact she's passing almost all her college courses except Pyschology. Giles is doing fine and is living the dream in a real life regular library. As for Willow, she's a nervous wreck but she'll be fine, if that's what you mean. If I hadn't known her all my life I'd swear you were a bad influence on her. She's going to be living out of that library every night." He then looked directly into her eyes, "And believe me, you're getting the whole story. They like you, Hermione, just like I do. Well, not _exactly_ like I do, cause that would be weird. Although..."

"Alexander Lavelle Harris, there will be no _threesomes_ in this relationship." Hermione sternly admonished him, before cracking up and bringing him along with her.

He gave her a quick kiss and reassured her, "See, you get the whole story. If they didn't like you then you'd never have heard about that joke. And that's all it is, by the way. You're all mine."

She blushed furiously and the comfortable silence returned. She had a tremendous urge to pinch herself, because this felt so surreal, "Are you ready to start school after the first of the year?"

He could understand her fear that not everything was making it's way across the ocean, as he held a little of that himself. Just about every day, until the mirror in his pocket starts vibrating, holds a subtle thread of self-doubt and belief that some guy Hermione would meet in a pub would turn out to be a more interesting companion than he was. And each day, when that mirror shook, he would hear the words he needed to in order to overcome his poor self-esteem, if only until the next day.

"I'm anxious about the whole situation, but I think I'm gonna be able to manage." He winked at her, "It's gonna be weird having private lessons with complete strangers. I know it'd be even stranger to have to sit in with the rest of the students, cause I'm this nineteen year old who's only just starting to learn magic, but it'd be nice to have some friends there."

She laced her fingers with his and gave his hand a squeeze, "I wish I could be over there to help you, be with you when you're all by yourself."

His smirk made its way into his words, "You just want access to my private room so you can ravage me. Let me tell you, miss, that is strictly forbidden." His shoulders then sagged as his voice became disappointed, "I looked it up in the rulebook."

She smirked as she finally climbed out of their embrace and straddled his lap. She kissed him fiercely and grinned devilishly as she whispered, "I've been known to break a few school rules."

He stared at her, and the look in his eyes made her own start to water, "Whatever am I going to do with you?"

She pecked at his lips, "I can think of a few things." Before he could deepen the kiss, she pulled back, "I'm ready for dinner." She immediately stood up and went for her coat. He sat there, as he wasn't quite ready to stand up, and idly wondered if she was trying to kill him. But what a way to go.

Xander awoke to obscenely bright sunlight, as filtered through a mass of brown curls which hung over his face. For nearly a week now he'd had the unrivaled pleasure of waking up like this, snuggled up to his favorite girl in the world. For all the heated words and seductive looks, however, nothing sexual was taking place between them, but that made it no less enjoyable.

He had never had the opportunity to enjoy something like this ever before in his life. His relationship with Cordelia was intense but only ventured into this territory in it's latter months. However, that intimacy hadn't ventured farther than beginning to open up about what they were thinking and feeling beyond the surface. Then he went and screwed it all up.

He had never been allowed to spend a night, sexual or otherwise, in Cordelia's bed. And the whole 'one night stand' with Anya was something he'd rather forget completely, as she'd been gone by the time he woke up.

So it was understandably overwhelming to be thrust into an overtly intimate situation without much preparation. The first night of sleep hadn't been great, as they adjusted to each other's sleeping patterns. He found out that Hermione occasionally swung her arms about when she was dreaming, and he'd had the bruises to prove it before she'd sheepishly handed him a salve the next morning.

After the first night, however, it had been like a slice of heaven. They found themselves drifting together in the night and waking at almost the same time. Hermione again suspected some sort of ambient magic on Xander's part, but had no way of really confirming it. In the end, she didn't really care because it was perfect. And she dreaded that he only had another week before he had to return.

She awoke when Xander did that morning as well. Each day it got a little harder to separate from him in the morning as his trip came closer to the end, but consoled herself with the fact that she would be able to spend Christmas and New Year's with him, which she'd been looking forward to ever since they'd shared a kiss at the terminal. She'd told her closest friends all about Xander, which meant Harry, Ginny, and Neville were thoroughly familiar with just how infatuated she was with him.

She was thrilled when Ginny mentioned he was invited to the Weasley Christmas celebration on Christmas evening, which is why she'd pushed so hard for him to make his visit to her during the Christmas break. She most definitely wanted the chance to show him off to all those she cared about.

The only person who wasn't aware of Xander in some capacity was Ron Weasley. She hadn't consciously decided to keep him out of the loop, but she ended up feeling it was for the best as Ron was still quite bitter and wouldn't react well to her having a new boyfriend. At least at the Weasley celebration he would have a lot of familiar faces and less motivation to create a scene over it.

It was now Christmas Eve and they both got ready for the day ahead of them. She had arranged for them to visit one of her favorite places in the world, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had intended to show him the school later in the week, but he had insisted that they visit today.

She knew he must have had a keen interest to visit the world renowned school because he was still absorbing his place in that world, but it warmed her heart when he said he was just as interested to see the place that developed her into the wonderful woman she'd become. That had earned him a thorough snog which had made them late for their lunch date with Harry and Ginny.

Hermione was very happy to find out that Harry and Xander got on smashingly, and apparently had been in contact before Xander's arrival. Harry explained that he'd sent a letter off to Xander shortly after Hermione had gotten back, revealing that the girl was a right mess looking for ways to communicate more easily with the boy from California. He said he simply thanked Xander for relighting the spark that made Hermione who she was.

Hermione blushed at Harry's comment, and even more so as Xander grasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. Xander had picked up the conversation, asking a bit about Harry and Ginny, "So, what are you kids up to these days?"

Harry answered first, "Well, not all that much, really. Most wizards, after they graduate, go on a bit of a world tour to experiment and expand their knowledge." He spared a glance at Ginny, "Now, though, I'm thinking twice about it, considering settling down since..."

Hermione picked up on this immediately, "Since what, Harry?"

Harry winced as Ginny squeezed his hand a little too hard, "Nothing, Hermione, just since I realized that I pretty much did my world tour inside the halls of Hogwarts and on our hunt. You and Ron helped me push so many potions, hexes, and charms into my head that a trip around the world wouldn't teach me anything new, that's all."

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. Lunch continued amiably, and when they were done, both Harry and Ginny congratulated Hermione and Xander on finding each other, causing them both to blush. They finally parted with a reminder of the Weasley gathering the following evening, which Hermione promised they wouldn't miss for the world.

Hermione then took Xander on a more in-depth tour of Diagon Alley. She took him to Ollivander's first, even though he'd already been there before. They all groused her about how she'd was coming in to work a second time even after asking for two weeks off. They seemed good-natured about it, which gave the impression that she had a hard time pulling herself away from her work.

Ollivander himself had been an odd duck, as he looked at Xander and instantly recited the makeup of his wand, even though they'd never met. Hermione explained to him that Mr. Ollivander remembered every single wand sold by the shop, even if he wasn't present for the transaction. Xander just nodded dumbly and shook the man's hand.

This day, though, there was a good deal of bustle going about the store. He could tell she was feeling guilty about leaving her co-workers on such a holiday business rush, but a squeeze of her hand seemed to remind her of why she'd taken the time off. As busy as it was, they only took enough time to say hello to the crew and make their way back out to the street.

There was a pleasant atmosphere throughout the Alley, as it was decorated for the season. Xander still had trouble getting over all the moving images on the posters. Hermione steered them from shop to shop, and enjoyed the curiosity Xander showed in each one.

She was quite fascinated to see his reaction to Eyelops Owl Emporium. He seemed very interested in the owls being sold there. When he noticed her watching him, he gave one of his lopsided grins which now always seemed to make her melt. All thought about owls disappeared and she gladly moved him on to the next store.

That store happened to be Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and their final stop for that afternoon. Much like the other stores, this one was quite busy and had staff running about like mad. However, George Weasley had no qualms about bellowing for Lee Jordan to take his place as he rushed out to greet Hermione.

He exchanged a hug with her and eagerly shook Xander's hand, "So, your the bloke who's got Hermione acting all barmy?"

"George!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I'm a little bit certifiable myself, if you ask around." Xander retorted, grinning, "So it seems we're barking together."

George laughed heartily at Xander's comment, "Good to see she's found one with a sense of humor. Never understood what she saw in my brother, really."

Hermione tensed and looked at George with displeasure so strong he was lucky he wasn't looking at her, it might have killed him. Xander, too, missed the look and inquired just what he meant, "She dated your brother?"

George then realized he'd let something slip, and tried to play it off, "Uh, yeah, yeah... not surprised she didn't tell you though, Ron's been a bit of a dodgy git as of late. Shouldn't take it personal."

Hermione seemed on the verge of tears, fearing this was going to lead to an argument of some sort, "I've meant to tell you, Xan, I really have... It's just that things with Ronald didn't end all that well, and I was hoping I could patch things over with him before you ever had to meet him."

Much to their relief, Xander didn't seem the least bit fazed by this revelation, "Relax, Mione, it's not like I haven't had a bad breakup or two. _You_ try telling an Incan mummy no." At their confused looks, he shrugged, "Long story. We can both air our dirty relationship laundry some other time." He smiled kindly at her, and she finally did relax.

George took the pause in conversation to remind them he was there, "She lets you call her Mione? Bloody hell, she didn't even let Ron call her that!" This time he caught the glare from Hermione and somehow managed to remain alive.

After the initial awkwardness, they began talking freely and she saw that Xander was again working his magic to get George to like him almost immediately. He was unbelievably grateful the tale of his gender bending incident back in Sunnydale hadn't made it to George's remaining ear.

During a lull in the conversation, Xander suddenly began patting himself down and looked alarmed, "I hope you don't mind if I excuse myself for a bit... I think I might have left something behind in that owl shop, so I'll just go look for it." As Hermione made to follow him he shook his head, "Nah, I can find my way back. You finish catching up with George and I'll meet you back here or you can meet me over there." He turned to George, "G-Man, it was really cool meeting you, hopefully I'll see you again soon, we can swap jokes." He made a hasty exit out the front of the shop without another word.

George looked flustered, "Did he just call me G-Man? That's just rude." He looked at her, "Please don't let that get around."

Hermione had a devious grin on her face, "Sure thing, G-Man. Alright, I'm cluing you in on your Christmas present a little early. Tomorrow afternoon, when it's time for guests to start arriving at the Burrow, floo call my flat. That's all I'm saying." The devious grin remained on her face, but she refused to give any more clues. They continued to chat for a few minutes, where George apologized for spilling the ex-boyfriend beans. George cautiously accepted another hug before Hermione left the store.

She walked over to Eyelops to find Xander standing outside looking off to the north. He jumped as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Xander, did you find whatever it was you dropped?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I was right about where I left it. When is it we have to head off to Hogwarts?"

Hermione observed a standing clock nearby, "Oh, we should probably get ready soon, Headmistress McGonagall prefers promptness but getting there a little early shouldn't be any trouble. We can take a little tour of Hogsmeade then, too." She grabbed a hold of his hand tightly, and he prepared himself for the uncomfortable feeling associated with apparation. With a pop, they both disappeared.


	24. In These Hallowed Halls

**Chapter Seventeen: In These Hallowed Halls**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Thank you for the feedback, as always. Now Xander is introduced to Hogwarts. What fun, eh? Oh, and if any of you readers feel like trying to make a banner for this particular story, knock yourself out. I'm working on something myself, but as yet I haven't really done anything I'd consider worth posting. I won't whine if anyone beats me to it, really.

--

During their entire trip from Hogsmeade Station to the Hogwarts grounds, Xander was quietly astonished. Even from a distance, Hogwarts castle was a wonder to behold. From top to bottom it was a marvel. It was so much more impressive than the school he was supposed to attend that it wasn't even a contest.

Califia Academy had been modernized to the point where you wouldn't have known it was anything more than a regular, albeit large, public school unless you spent time in it's classrooms and actually saw what they were teaching. American's apparently had to take all the magic out of magic, if the exterior of Hogwarts was any indication to him.

"Jumping Jupiter, what the heck are those things?" Xander exclaimed. His arm was pointed in the direction of the skeletal forms of the pair of thestrals which stood ahead of the carriage set to deliver them to the school.

Hermione had nearly crushed his hand at seeing his reluctance to get near the creature. She explained just what they were to him, adding, "They're only dangerous if you get on their nerves, at least according to Hagrid."

Xander didn't exactly feel comforted by that knowledge, "Great, that's kinda my specialty."

She'd finally convinced him to enter the carriage and proceeded to wrap herself on his arm to console both him and herself over his ability to see the ominous creatures. Of course he'd seen death, he'd had to kill his best friend once.

The ride along the path had gradually eased both their minds. Hermione was glad, but not surprised, to see Headmistress McGonagall arriving to greet them just as they were pulling up to the carriage house. She'd said the Headmistress enjoyed promptness, and she hadn't been kidding.

"Always good to see you're on time, Miss Granger." The woman greeted her with what could be construed, to anyone that new her, as pleasant admiration. To anyone else she appeared as reserved as always, "And who is this? Mr. Harris, I presume?"

Hermione was surprised as the two extended hands and shook, remembering quite clearly that she had only supplied the fact that she would be bringing a friend along to tour the school. Her distraction prevented her from seeing the look the two before her briefly shared, "Professor?"

"Forgive me, child, but even I manage to hear things along the grapevine. Neville mentioned you were quite taken with the young lad." A blush crept over Hermione's face and she couldn't find a thing to say, "Shall we proceed? I daresay there is quite a bit of ground to cover."

Hermione simply nodded and allowed the headmistress to lead them up the walk to the school. One of their first stops upon entering the school, of course, was the vast Great Hall, which was adorned to the rafters with appropriate holiday decorations.

Xander's eyes were absolutely riveted to the ceiling, which displayed the flurry of snow that was falling outside. He was so convinced by the display that he reached up to try and catch some of the snowflakes.

McGonagall noted his thrall and looked to Hermione, "I'm surprised you haven't had him read through _Hogwarts, A History_ already, Miss Granger."

Hermione blushed again, "I thought he might enjoy the school more if he didn't know everything that was coming. Plus, he's from the American state of California, which doesn't tend to get a lot of snow."

Xander surprised them as he entered the conversation, his eyes still glued upwards, "One storm. I've only ever seen one snowfall, and that was last year. This is amazing!"

"We're certainly glad you like it, Mr. Harris." McGonagall intoned with what could be interpreted as mirth. Both Hermione and Xander exchanged a look. She then lead them out of the hall and towards the staircases.

There was nearly an unfortunately mishap as a set of stairs started moving as Xander had one foot on either side of the seam. He managed to grab a rail and hoist himself up, but not before Hermione let out a scream fearing for his life.

Xander simply got back to his feet as Hermione clutched his hand and joked, "That last step is a doozy." They were both alarmed as McGonagall made a brief noise that sounded eerily reminiscent of a snort, albeit stifled. Hermione almost looked like her world was unraveling before her eyes, but quickly recovered.

They weren't allowed to visit some of the classrooms as Hermione had hoped, because Peeves had been up to his usual mischief and left them in various states of disarray, but they were able to visit the Charms classroom. Professor Flitwick was quite pleased to see her, "Miss Granger! What a pleasure to see you!" The diminutive man smiled kindly at her, before looking to Xander, "And who is this? Perhaps that Mr. Harris I've heard so much about?"

Hermione looked mortified, "Did Neville tell bloody _everyone_?" She immediately threw a hand over her mouth, "Sorry, Professors!"

Flitwick clucked with laughter, "Quite alright, Miss Granger, I imagine it's a bit frustrating to be the talk of the school."

Hermione gulped, "The school?"

The headmistress interjected, "Filius is exaggerating. The talk is mainly amongst the professors." Hermione looked no less petrified by this statement.

Flitwick broke the tension by addressing Xander directly, "Well, my boy, how are you adjusting to being a wizard?"

Xander looked at the small man for a moment before answering, "Pretty well, I think. At least that's what the professors I met on my tour of the Califia campus told me."

"Califia, you say? Would you happen to know a Professor Kensington, by chance?" The professor inquired eagerly.

Xander was surprised, "Uh, yeah... he's the professor who's supposed to teach charms, actually."

Flitwick looked pleased as punch, "Oh, very good! Very good! He and I encountered each other during my travels of the world and we shared more than a few charms with each other. He's quite capable instructor, I assure you!" Xander couldn't help but smile at the professors enthusiasm as he nodded, "Perhaps a demonstration is in order? I'm very interested in seeing your progress."

Xander looked embarrassed, "Okay, anything in particular, uh, sir?"

Flitwick tapped a finger on his chin for a moment before declaring, "Why not start simple?" He conjured a familiar feather on a nearby desk, "How about you show me what you can do with the Levitation Charm?"

Xander nodded and began focusing on the feather. He found himself remembering Hermione's early lessons on the subject, and in no time he had the feather floating quite high in the air. At Flitwick's direction he continued manipulating the object, making it do flips and circle the room a couple of times before settling it back down where it had been.

"Remarkable! You've only known you were a wizard for a few months, and haven't even officially been in school yet, and you already show tremendous potential with your use of that charm." The little man was grinning ear to ear.

Xander continued to blush, "Uh, thank you, Professor." He shared a glance with Hermione, "I seem to be a good student."

McGonagall cleared her throat, "Filius, I believe that will be enough. There is still much of Hogwarts that the young man has yet to see, and far too little time to do it." Flitwick nodded and bid the youngsters farewell.

As they made their way along the halls, some of the children who had remained at Hogwarts over the holiday passed them by. More than a few stopped dead in their tracks as they caught sight of Hermione, causing quite a few collisions. The headmistress even had to save one child who was knocked over a railing by levitating them back to solid ground, all the while mumbling, "I'll never understand these children."

She then took them around to the remaining accessible classrooms to introduce him to the teachers of each subject. A curious encounter with Professor Trelawney left them all scratching their heads. The Divination Professor greeted them pleasantly, smelling of sherry as always, and made a point of showing off a platter with a selection of cheeses spread across it's surface.

"A man came to me in a vision, and indicated that you would be here today... and that it was of dire importance that I arrange this for you," was the only explanation the Professor was willing to provide. She simply wouldn't let them go until they'd selected a slice to sample.

Xander leaned over to whisper in Hermione's ear, "She actually teaches here? What's her subject, Kooky 101?"

As with the headmistress and Professor Flitwick, each professor they met with seemed aware of just who Xander was and were interested in seeing a demonstration of his learning in their particular field.

Hermione found this a bit odd, but assumed they had a curiosity about the young man as well as in her ability to instruct him in the basics. Each of them seemed pleased to find out how far Xander had progressed in such a short amount of time. He seemed flustered by every compliment, but simply accepted them along with a squeeze of his hand from Hermione. She was obviously proud of him.

The headmistress decided to show them to her office before they would head down to dinner, to give them an opportunity to speak with Albus' portrait and meet a few of the other former headmasters/mistresses. Albus was quite pleased to make Xander's acquaintance and continued what appeared to be a new Hogwarts tradition in thoroughly embarrassing Hermione with the knowledge of her personal life.

Xander ribbed her gently, leaning in and whispering, "I don't believe I've ever seen you blush this much for this long. I think I owe these people a favor." She swatted him on the arm, but couldn't hold back a faint smile of her own at his amusement.

"Alexander, my boy, you seem to get getting along quite swimmingly for someone who is so far behind in their wizarding education." Albus' eyes were just as twinkly as they had ever been while he was alive.

It was again Xander's turn to blanch, "Uh, yeah... you could say I had a little bit of pre-schooling when it came to this stuff."

"How is Mrs. Summers doing, by the way?" He was smirking.

Xander did a double-take, "Beg your pardon?"

"Miss Summers, the Slayer, of course. I'm afraid I haven't had much of a chance to follow her progress in my current state, but I was certainly interested in seeing that she continued on in her fight."

Xander stared up at the man, who was every bit the stereotype of what a wizard should look like, and was dumbfounded, "You know about Buffy?"

Albus chucked, "Oh yes, I know all about Miss Summers. You are looking at a once active member of what you call the Watcher's Council. Admittedly they never took my opinions to heart, but nevertheless it has always been my concern for the safety of those chosen to bear the fate of the world." He quickly swept his eyes over to Hermione, and she understood that he also meant his deep concern for Harry's well being.

Xander was still flabbergasted to find out that Dumbledore was aware of the world he had just come from. He chatted awkwardly with the cheerful old man about things that had happened in Sunnydale, and how Buffy was now attending college while still patrolling the cemeteries frequently.

When asked about how eager he was to get home, Xander couldn't help but look at Hermione and hesitate in his answer. Albus spared him from answering, "Forgive me, Mr. Harris. I should know better than to place you in such an uncomfortable position. It is without doubt that your eagerness to continue learning is at conflict with other personal matters."

Xander shrugged, "It's okay, sir. I'm _am_ looking forward to going to school." He smiled at Hermione to show that wasn't all he was looking forward to.

Albus bid them adieu, claiming that he was due to travel to his portrait in the Ministry for a discussion with Minister Shacklebolt, "Miss Granger, it is always a pleasure to see you. Try not to be a stranger, will you?" He winked at her, "Mr. Harris, I'm glad I had the chance to meet with you and wish you all the best, in all your endeavors." Another wink, "Although I feel there is no doubt that I will be seeing you again someday." That twinkle unnerved him more than he could put into words, and he nervously looked at Hermione out of the corner of his eye to see she seemed none the wiser.

"Nice meeting you too, Mr. Dumbledore." It still felt strange talking to a portrait, but he knew there were far stranger things for him to encounter before his life was over. Albus walked out of the side of his portrait, and left himself, Hermione, and Headmistress McGonagall alone in the office.

After a beat, Headmistress McGonagall looked to them and stated, "Alright, I believe it's time to get down to business."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean, Professor?"

"I believe that is a question better directed at your friend here." She said cryptically. Hermione looked to Xander for an answer, but he was clearly a deer in headlights. Minerva sighed, knowing the poor boy had locked up now that things had come to a head, "Very well. Miss Granger, the fact of the matter is that Mr. Harris has applied to attend Hogwarts for his education."

Hermione's eyes nearly bugged out, "_What?_" She turned to him again, her eyes demanding an answer, "Why didn't you tell me you were applying to Hogwarts?"

"I, uh, wanted it to be a surprise." He said sheepishly, "_Surprise!_ Plus, I've only applied. That's why I wanted to come here today, to hear the Headmistresses' decision in person."

They both turned to McGonagall and gave her expectant stares. If she weren't so in control of her emotions and reactions, she might have blanched at the focused attention they both afforded her. She cleared her throat and with a wave of her wand a stack of papers appeared before her. A quick glance showed Xander's full name affixed to the folder the mass was wrapped in. He winced at the presence of his middle name.

"I have taken a look at all the paperwork Mr. Harris has submitted, which included a rather glowing recommendation letter written by a certain witch." She looked at Hermione with eyes that almost twinkled like Dumbledore's, "I have consulted with my collegues here, including the impromptu demonstrations that took place today throughout the castle." She paused again when Hermione let a quiet 'oh' escape her.

Xander took the opportunity to speak, trying to use the social skills he'd been working on with Giles in regards to polite conversation, "I apologize for speaking out of turn, Headmistress, but I just wanted it to be known that whatever your decision is here today, it's been quite an honor simply to explore the castle with such freedom.

"Even over in America, Hogwarts is regarded as the utmost in wizarding education and to have been here will make me the envy of a number of my fellow students. So thank you."

And there it was, McGonagall actually cracked a smile just enough for even Xander to notice, "I appreciate the sentiment, Mr. Harris. That's why it's my pleasure to grant your request to attend Hogwarts. You'll be required to arrive at the beginning of the next term for orientation and placement exams to determine the course of your education. Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Harris."

Xander smiled, "Thank you, Headmistress."

After signing off on the necessary paperwork, they all proceeded down toward the Great Hall for dinner. On the way, Hermione fell out of step with the headmistress and pulled Xander along with her. He became a bit nervous, as she hadn't really said a word to him since the meeting in McGonagall's office.

He hoped she was happy about his decision, but he knew she would have all sorts of questions for him when they were truly alone.

He cast a glance to her when her steps became more regular and saw her continuing to stare straight ahead. He tried to break the ice and get her talking again, "So, did I make a good impression, do you think?"

He wasn't sure if it was really a response to his question, but all he heard was a throaty, "If we weren't on our way to dinner with the Headmistress expecting us, I would be dragging you into the nearest broom closet and snogging you senseless."

He cast a glance ahead and briefly pondered blowing the headmistress off. He knew that wouldn't be a good idea, so he resigned himself to reply, "Duly noted. I'd wouldn't mind seeing that in writing, though."

He had to laugh as she waved her wand and produced a piece of parchment bearing the words, 'This receipt entitles one Alexander Harris to the snogging of his life from Hermione Granger at a future date. No substitutions allowed.'

He ducked over to give her a peck on the cheek, "I love magic."


	25. A Christmas Morning Story

**Chapter Twenty-Five: A Christmas Morning Story**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond.

Author's Note: Hello, again! Christmas has come early, at least in this story anyway. I warn you ahead of time, this particular chapter is going to be about as **sappy** as it can get. But it's Christmas! I think I should be allowed at least one... or two... chapters a year where I can totally and shamelessly pour on the sweetness. This next line will reside in the feedback bit above after this... If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

--

He would have liked nothing more than to cash in the rain check Hermione had produced on their way to dinner at Hogwarts, but she continually insisted they put it off until later.

He had been right when he thought Hermione would grill him over his decision to transfer to England without telling her. She wanted to know if his friends were aware, as she would hate to think he had just done it spur of the moment.

He explained that it was on his mind from the minute she left, and he'd hoped to arrange something before he'd had to go to Califia Academy. As soon as he'd gotten her recommendation letter, he'd gotten help from Giles in drawing up a letter to Headmistress McGonagall in regards to attending Hogwarts instead.

"What about Buffy and Willow? Do they know about this?" Hermione asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, they know. They were a little hesitant at first. Willow made me promise to visit as often as I can afford, and Buffy wants me to be on call in case another apocalypse breaks out, but they decided to support my decision because it's what I really want."

Hermione tried not to look so green at the mention of an apocalypse, "Just how many of those apocalypses have you dealt with?"

He just shrugged, "A few, I guess. It's kind of this yearly thing for us."

She looked at him seriously, "Are you certain about this, Xander?"

He continued to assure her that he'd put a lot of thought into his decision, "It's not just so I can be closer to you, though that's part of it. I've heard you talk so much about Hogwarts and how good the teachers are there... and I realized how far behind I am in everything. I'm going to need that if I'm ever going to catch up to you."

She just beamed at him and threw her arms around her neck. She kept being amazed by this young man. She felt guilty about often comparing him to her previous relationship with Ron, but she couldn't help noticing the stark differences between the two. They both had their childish sides, but Xander's was tempered with a maturity beyond his years.

Facing the dark as he had couldn't _not_ change you, and left her wondering just what about Ron had really changed over the course of the war. Unlike Ron, Xander seemed to have developed a thirst for knowledge directly related to her, and was striving to live up to a standard Ron had no interest in approaching.

They'd already had their own wonderful Christmas celebration, coming downstairs Christmas morning to find a stash of presents from their friends under the tree. He got a few introductory magical items from Harry and Ginny, who didn't quite know him well enough yet to get him anything particularly personal.

He was amused to find a pair of knitted sweaters, one bearing a large X across the front while the other featured an A. It came with a letter from Mrs. Weasley explaining that she didn't know if he preferred going by Xander or his given name, so she'd simply knitted him two. Hermione gave him a sympathetic look, knowing he was just as unfortunate as the rest of them in receiving Molly's homemade gifts.

George Weasley had sent him a grab bag from Weasley Wizard Wheezes that had a little bit of everything in terms of magical mayhem. He noted a few items he'd like to put into a care package for an old acquaintance by the name of Parker Abrams. That'd teach him not to bail on the Buffster.

When they finally finished opening their gifts from everyone else, they were ready to present their gifts to each other. She anxiously snatched up her gift for him, painstakingly gift wrapped, but was a little upset to see nothing left under the tree.

He indicated for her to go first, so Hermione handed him a somewhat bulky package which was revealed to be photo album containing all sorts of wizarding pictures of the two of them he wasn't aware had been taken. She explained, "I ended up borrowing a camera from Dennis Creevey, who runs a wizard photography studio on Diagon Alley. After that it was just a matter of slipping into my pensieve and taking pictures of some of my favorite memories. Both from my time over in America and this last week."

He was touched by it and had to fight back tears, both of joy and of laughter, as he saw a picture which featured Giles' living room and all his friends lounging about without a care in the world.

He immediately remembered that day perfectly, as it held one of their more amusing training sessions, "Wasn't this the day when I was levitating a teacup and ended up tipping it over into Giles' lap?" She nodded.

"He started shouting and ran about the room... with a gigantic stain across the front of his trousers!" She exclaimed. They both shared a laugh at the memory and he gave her a meaningful kiss in thanks.

It came time for Xander to give his gift to her his present, and he surprised her by getting up and approaching a nearby window, "I have to admit, this present is a little bit for the both of us." With that he opened the window long enough for the most beautiful owl to come fluttering into the room and land on the arm of the sofa.

It was moderately sized with an overall brown color, with a oval head, and dark brown eyes. The brown plumage was heavily spotted on the breast and belly with the most striking series of white splotches that gave the bird the impression of having just stepped off of a canvas.

It's eyes were looking at her with a regard which made her fondly remember Hedwig and she couldn't help how watery her eyes started to get.

He smiled at her reaction, moving back over to sit beside her while the owl hopped along the back of the couch to rest on top of it, right between them. Hermione was looking at the owl fondly, and he could tell the owl was quickly growing attached to it's new owner as well. She gently reached up and stroked her plume, and in return the bird nipped at her gently. Xander couldn't help but smile, "I'd like to introduce you to Perdita."

Hermione's attention snapped to him, a look of awe on her features, "I got a little help with the name, thank Giles for that. He knows way too much about Shakespeare." He scooted a little closer and took a turn showing affection to the bird, "She's a strix, um, a strix accidental... shoot, I can't remember what the store owner called her."

"Strix occidentalis." She corrected out of habit, "A spotted owl. But they aren't native to Europe..."

Xander looked quite proud of himself, "Very true, but the owner at Eyelops received the wrong shipment, one that was meant for a shop near Califia. He was getting ready to send them back when I showed up. I saw the leaflet that said where they were native to and I just knew I had to buy her. I know you said you always wanted an owl but never got around to buying one. Well, I took care of that for you. She's sorta _my_ familiar, but I don't think there's gonna be an issue over sharing."

Crookshanks, who had so far given them a great deal of privacy around the flat, appeared as if out of thin air to inspect the newest addition to the household. Both animals stared at each other for several moments, before the half-kneazle gave an approving meow in response to Perdita's greeting hoot. Crookshanks then disappeared again as he knew his owner was about to thank the young man in a way he didn't care to see. Even Perdita hopped so she was facing away from the impending scene.

And thank him she did, snogging him for several minutes until the desperate need for oxygen drove them apart. He grinned and wondered if that was his promised 'snogging of a lifetime' but she read the thought in his eyes and shook her head, her devious grin lighting up her face. He was so in trouble when it finally came around.

When they finally had had enough of the kisses, at least for the time being, Xander looked down for a minute, "I'm sorry that this gift is technically for me, but I'm still getting to know all about you and figured I'd go with an option that didn't involve a stereotypical book gift."

She shushed him, "Xander, Perdita is a wonderful gift, I wasn't lying when I said I was always quite jealous of Harry and his owl Hedwig. I don't mind at all that she's _your_ familiar, besides I must have mentioned that ages ago! The fact that you remembered shows how much thought you put into it, which is what matters."

He grinned and looked to Perdita, who had turned back to them after the talking had resumed and gave her a little nod. She took flight and headed into the bedroom for a moment, before returning with a package in her talons which she dropped in Hermione's lap. Hermione looked dumbfounded, as Xander pulled an owl treat from his shirt pocket and gave it to Perdita.

He looked to her again and indicated with his eyes that she should open it. She did so delicately, as if expecting the gift to explode. The paper was discarded to reveal a long, black velvet box. Hermione gasped, before Xander took it from her and opened it towards her. Resting inside the box was a spectacular looking silver necklace with a dangling pendant featuring a pair of sapphires one above the other.

The grin on his face would likely have to be surgically removed, but it just couldn't be helped. The tears she had fought earlier began flowing unchecked now, and he kissed a few of them away before accepting their existence.

He himself had to wipe his eyes before he began to speak, "This is the more personal gift I was determined to get, and pretty much cleaned me out for the second time this year. I sold the Chevy, and a few of my other collectibles in order to afford it. I think it's totally worth it, though.

"The jeweler called this an Everard's Ever Expanding Necklace, created by a guy who was a Headmaster at Hogwarts, I think he said. What's so special about it is that it, uh, expands. The jeweler explained that, when given as a gift from one person to another, the necklace gains a copy of the recipient's birthstone every year on their birthday after it's given." He was about to continue when Hermione interrupted him.

"But there are two stones on here already..."

He looked at her with mock scolding, "If someone would let me finish, I'd get to that." He smiled to show it truly was just a jest, before taking an awfully long time to continue. When he finally found his words again, he began again, "When giving the Ever Expanding Necklace to person that they're in a _romantic_ relationship with... instead of one stone each year, it will gain two... each of their birthstones."

Hermione looked at him in wonder. And the tears flowed anew. She kissed him ferociously, and he once again wondered if this was his rain check, but he dared not ask.

She finally had the breath to say, "This is beautiful, Xander... absolutely gorgeous." She looked at the stones in reverence, running her thumb over the pair, "Sapphire is your birthstone? But you weren't born in September..."

He smiled again, "Correct. I was born at the end of April, not on the first like my dad loves to claim, and apparently the classical birthstone for that month is also a sapphire... I suppose that fits, huh? Two peas in a pod... kinda." They both shared a laugh, "Another selling point for the necklace was that, as it acquires new stones the positions all rearrange and form a new shape. I thought that would be really cool."

Xander couldn't help but stare into her eyes as he helped her fasten the jewelry around her neck, "Do you ever wonder if we're getting sickeningly sweet?"

She simply kissed him and laughed, "Not really."


	26. Hits And Misses or Ignorance Is Blitzed

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Hits And Misses – or – Ignorance Is Blitzed**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It's fun to play around with them, though.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: Glad to see the sugary, rot-your-teeth sweetness of the last chapter didn't seem to make anybody curse my name and swear off the story. I realize there hasn't been a tremendous amount of that kind of full-on sentimentality before it, but I figured a Christmas chapter would make it excusable. Hey, if they can pull off A Very Supernatural Christmas, then I can swing The Accidentally Magical Holidays. Anyway, more Holidazzle fun coming up, and I couldn't help the Rocky and Bullwinkle-style chapter title.

--

Xander waited patiently in the sitting room of Hermione's flat. He had to resist calling it _their_ flat, as he would be residing in a private dormitory at Hogwarts while he was being instructed, but there was no doubt that this place now felt like his home. He looked forward to the summer when he would be able to stay here while making trips to the school for further catch-up lesson with the professors.

Without warning, the fireplace erupted in emerald flames, and he turned to see George Weasley's head appear in the middle of it, "Sweet fancy Moses!" He stumbled backwards and went end over end across the back of the sofa. He landed with a loud thud on the carpet and groaned.

Hermione came rushing in time to hear George ask, "Oy, Xander, you alright?"

Hermione could see that Xander had mostly hurt his pride, and quickly declared in as convincing of a distraught voice as she could manage, "George, I told you to startle him, not kill him!"

He looked suitably unsettled, "Just hang on, I'll send Mum through in just a moment, she can patch him up..."

"Hold up!" Xander clawed his way up from the floor to face the fireplace, "That won't be necessary... my pride has taken harder hits than that. Thank goodness we don't have hardwood floors."

George looked relieved, "Bloody hell, mate! Didn't mean for that to happen, was just following Hermione's instructions."

Xander looked at Hermione with a smirk, "You called a hit out on me?" They all shared a laugh.

"Well, I'll just leave you lovebirds alone to prepare yourself for the one and only Weasley Christmas Celebration." George departed with a smirk.

Hermione checked him over to make sure he hadn't really hurt himself, before dragging him to his feet. She gave his hand a squeeze and looked at him with sympathy, "You have no idea what you're in for." A moment later they disappeared with a pop.

They appeared on the sidewalk outside the Burrow, and Xander immediately believed he was staring at a construction nightmare. Entire rooms hung out over nothing, with absolutely no support, and if he wasn't mistaken it seemed to lean in one direction more than a house ever should. There were an uncountable number of Christmas lights decorating both the exterior and every possible window, clearly visible thanks to the steadily growing dark. A 747 could very well use the place as a landing marker.

His visual inspection of the outside of the house was halted when he found himself being pulled along to the front door. Upon knocking, it was flung open by George who seemed eager to make sure he hadn't, in fact, killed Xander. Once he saw that he was functioning normally, he turned his head and declared, "Hermione's here, and she's brought a _friend_." He winked at the both of them before heading back into the party.

They got inside the door and Xander swore he heard a squeal from somewhere in the home. Someone was trying to make their way through the crowd. George leaned in, grabbing Xander's hand to shake before warning, "If you weren't broken before, you're about to be."

The Weasley matron appeared from out of the masses and absolutely crushed Hermione in a bear hug while declaring, "Merry Christmas, dear!"

And then suddenly she turned on Xander and enveloped him in a very similar hug, "Merry Christmas to you too, dear boy. Alexander is it? Or just Xander? I wasn't sure, that's why I knitted you two jumpers." Somewhere in the middle of this he was certain he'd heard every single one of his vertebrae pop at once. This woman had a career in the field of chiropractics.

A slightly balding man wandered up beside them and started to pry her off of him, "Molly, dear, the boy needs to breath if he's going to answer you." When she'd finally let him go he simply nodded, the breath not quite with him yet.

Mr. Weasley shook his hand firmly, and Xander responded lightly when he'd caught his breath, "Hello, Mr. Weasley... Are you aware your wife could kill a man with her bare hands?" The party, which had stopped to observe his mauling, erupted in raucous laughter.

Hermione reclaimed her grip on his hand and began showing him around to the party goers. He met a handful of other Weasleys, all of who greeted him surprisingly warmly. He could see Hermione's eyes searching the crowd, and instantly knew who she was looking for.

Ron Weasley, her ex-boyfriend. He briefly felt a surge of insecurity wash over him, but quickly found his hand pulled up and pressed against Hermione's lips as she looked directly at him and seemed to read his mind again.

They were soon joined by Harry and Ginny exchanging handshakes and hugs where appropriate, and a little while later Neville and Luna wandered over. Hermione immediately swatted Neville on the arms several times, "Did you have to tell _everyone_ about him?" Luna just watched with detached amusement as her fiancée was abused.

"Oy, Hermione, I didn't go blabbing about it! It just came up whenever anyone asked how you were doing! I didn't think you would mind." He answered in between swats.

Finally Xander restrained both her hands, "She doesn't, she just didn't want to have to hear every professor at Hogwarts bringing it up. I think she was most embarrassed by the headmistress."

Harry laughed, "Even McGonagall took the mickey out of you? That headmistress position must be making her soft!" This earned him a swat as well, this time from his own girlfriend.

Ginny then turned to Xander and asked, "What did you think of Hogwarts?"

He grinned, "It's even more amazing than Hermione described it. It's going to take some getting used to."

Three of the four standing by them looked confused, Luna just continued looking starry-eyed. Harry spoke up first, "Getting used to? What's that mean?"

Hermione couldn't contain her pride and forestalled any answer Xander might have been ready to give, "Xander is going to Hogwarts!" The smile on her face could have powered the lights for miles around.

Ginny beamed as well, "Really? That's fantastic!" She rushed over and gave Xander a short hug, which he saw every indication would one day rival her mother's.

"Yeah, that's excellent, Xander! Good to know you'll be closer to Hermione soon, she can stop driving us spare... and abusing us." Neville congratulated, giving a joshing look to Hermione. She responded by sticking her tongue out at him before pulling Ginny off for a little girl talk.

Neville starting talking to Harry about something Xander had no clue about, so he turned around to observe the crowd that had gathered. There were a fair number of heads with vibrant red hair, causing him to begin to miss his friends even more and made him feel slightly guilty for not spending Christmas with them.

He didn't let it bother him for too long, as they had encouraged him to take this trip just as much as he wanted to. They supported his decision to move and he wouldn't let them down by worrying over it to death.

He was startled when an unfamiliar voice spoke up beside him, "I'd beware of the Nargles, if I were you. They're known to infest mistletoe." Luna lazily gestured to patches of the plant hanging above doorways throughout the house.

"Beg your pardon?" Xander asked in confusion.

"The Nargles, they're quite vicious and territorial. That's why it's always a risk to pass under the mistletoe." She looked at him dreamily, "Has Hermione spoken to you about any of the magical creatures The Quibbler discusses? My father, Neville, and I are still planning to go to Sweden to find a Crumple-Horned Snorkack soon. Daddy's last horn was destroyed in an unfortunate incident."

He recognized the woman next to him from when she was standing next to Hermione's friend Neville, and noticed she hadn't really said a word before now. He tried not to say the wrong thing, "You're Luna, right? Hermione has told me quite a bit about you," He suddenly leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "But she just refuses to believe the Snorkack even exists. I'm not quite sure if she'll _ever_ be convinced."

Luna looked truly delighted to find someone who 'believed' in the creatures, even if she knew he really didn't. She looked at him piercingly for a moment, "It's true, then. You really are the one who sees."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "What does that mean exactly?"

Luna's starry-eyed expression returned and she looked around the room, "What needs to be done, what needs to be said... you know just what is needed, and you keep others on task." She suddenly reached up and ran her right hand thumb in a downward motion over his left eye, "This time it shouldn't be lost."

Without another word, the strange girl floated off to meet up with Neville as he continued to chat with Harry. Xander stood there slack-jawed watching her go. Hermione looped her arm around his while literally lifting his jaw closed, "I see you've had a chance to speak with Luna." When he didn't immediately respond, she became concerned, "Is everything alright? She didn't say something offensive, did she? I know she can be rather... peculiar."

He finally shook himself free of his daze, "No, no... she's everything you said she'd be, but I guess I still wasn't prepared for her. She seems nice enough, though." Hermione nodded in agreement. They were both drawn by a whistling to look towards Harry, who was standing nearby with Ginny, Neville, and Luna. He gestured for them to look up, and when they did, they found they had moved under one of the mistletoes hung around the room.

They exchanged a timid look, not having really done much in the way of public displays of affection. Throwing caution to the wind, Xander mumbled something about 'to hell with the Nargles' before leaning in and capturing Hermione's lips with his own. There was a good deal of hooting and hollering, but neither seemed to notice.

Just as they were preparing to seperate, with respect to decency, a cocky and confident voice came from near the rear door. "Oy, everyone can relax, I'm finally here. Now the party can _really_ begin!" Hermione tensed against him before springing away like he'd shocked her. Xander guessed there was only one person who could elicit a reaction and glanced in that direction.

A mop of red hair down past the jawline was ambling through the crowd, looking as jolly as could be. He exchanged hellos with a few familiar faces, accepting a butterbeer passed his way and taking a pull immediately. He was greeted by his mother and given the same treatment Xander had received, though he seemed a bit more prepared for the assault, "_Mum_! Coach will kill me if you put me out with an injury!"

The young man was wearing an orange and black costume of some sort that looked like it was designed for sports. It also looked like something he'd have worn in high school before Cordelia got a hold of him and burned his wardrobe.

He watched the man chatting it up with his friends and family, even challenging George to an Ogden's shooting contest later on. Xander didn't really say anything to Hermione, simply laced his fingers with hers and gave her hand a squeeze. Even if he didn't know what to say, he didn't want her to think he wasn't supportive.

And then it happened. As Ron's eyes scanned the crowd, he caught sight of Hermione's unmistakable hair. Even if she wasn't looking at him, he'd have been able to pick her out of a crowd, as he'd just literally done. A momentary look of hope crossed his face, almost instantaneously his features hardened as he saw Xander standing very close to her. Far too close for him to be anything but very familiar with her.

And both men's eyes met and a silent battle of wills took place, which neither wanted to back down from. Ron's anger was rising with each passing second, until he just couldn't stand it anymore and broke off. He downed the rest of his butterbeer, set the bottle on a nearby table, and marched off to another part of the house.

Hermione was burning a hole in the floor with her gaze, unwilling to look up and chance meeting Ron's gaze. Xander just stood there, a thousand thoughts running through his head, many of them insecurities. He was trying desperately to hold up everything that had happened over the last several months, to keep it from all collapsing on him. Before he knew what he was doing, the words had left his mouth, "Do you still love him?"

This got Hermione's head to snap in his direction, looking at him with something between shock and disgust, "No! Absolutely not!"

He took his turn at examining the carpet, "Then... then why couldn't you look at him? Why did you freeze up just now?"

Their roles had suddenly reversed, he was the one unable to make eye contact and she was the one clutching his hand as a show of support. She even added a squeeze of her own before answering, "Because he's been a big part of my life since I was eleven. Most of it was spent at each other's throats, but the last few years were quite different. We were close, and only just recently did it end. I can't just get over something like that in a blink, and I think you know that."

He sighed, "We've got to have some sort of talk about all our relationship dirtly laundry soon, for both our sakes." He pulled her close and hugged her to him, "I don't want either of us to freak out about something we've done in the past and ruin this."

Hermione and Xander stuck close to each other for the majority of the evening. Ron had remained out of sight, much to their relief. They had settled at a table out in the magically warmed back garden, joined by Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna and a couple of people Xander couldn't quite remember the names of. He found he was a bit of a lightweight, at least when it came to butterbeer, and had quit drinking them fairly quickly.

Harry kept stealing away every once in a while, admitting it was to check in on Ron. Hermione said nothing, still feeling guilt over stretching Harry between his two best friends. Both Xander and Ginny offered her comfort she didn't dare ask for. She couldn't quite grasp how Ginny didn't hate her for the way things had ended with Ron, but she wasn't about to refuse her.

As the night drew onward, celebrants began making their exits. Neville stood up and declared that he was taking Luna back to her father's house and said goodbye to everyone. He congratulated Xander again and looked forward to seeing him on occasion at Hogwarts.

Hermione was curled up beside him, silently enjoying the comfortable atmosphere, which allowed him to lean down and ask, "Think we should hit the road, too? It's been a long couple of days." She nodded against him, not wishing to speak just then, so he handled the goodbye, "Alright, ladies and gents, we're about ready to leg it."

Harry and Ginny stood up as they did, being the only ones left at the table with them. Harry extended his hand, "Great news to hear you'll be staying around England, Xander. Hope things at Hogwarts go well, it certainly is another world there."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure _someone_ will find a way to keep me in line." He was glad to see the smile that crossed Hermione's lips, "Hopefully we can all get together again soon."

Ginny carefully suggested, "Well, we're all getting together again later in the week for New Years Eve, if you'd like to come."

Xander knew Hermione wasn't too keen to be around the Burrow with the chance that Ron would be there as well, it had been tense enough that evening, but promised himself to try and get Hermione to open up about it as soon as he could, "We'll see, there's going to be a bit of havoc with my move to Hogwarts for the next term, but we'll make it if we can."

They bid them goodbye and made their way to a spot away from those who remained at the Burrow. Xander put his arm around her, "I hope you're sober enough to get us home in one piece. I don't like the idea of leaving something behind here cause you had one butterbeer too many."

They both laughed, finally relaxing a little bit as they prepared to go home. That thought made Hermione feel warm in a way she feared might never come back to her; _their home_.

"Leaving so soon, Hermione?" For the second time that evening, Hermione went stiff as a board at that particular voice. He swore that it wouldn't happen again, not if he could help it.

"Ron." The voice that said this was icy, unlike anything Xander had heard form her before. It belied the fact that Hermione wasn't entirely happy to see or hear him.

"Whose the bloke?" Ron asked, his irritation, and intoxication, clearly evident.

Hermione rounded on him, "His name is Xander, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't be rude to him."

"_I'd_ have appreciated it if you hadn't gone and mucked things up like you did, but we don't always get what we want, do we?" Ron looked at her with just as much disgust as she was giving him. He looked Xander over and asked quite possibly the most absurd question he'd ever heard, "So, what Quidditch team do you support?"

Hermione snorted loudly, clearly amused that Ron thought it an acceptable follow-up question to a 'who the hell are you?' Xander looked momentarily confused, before he suddenly remembered just what Quidditch was. He panicked and tried to quickly recall the name of a team, any team would do.

Remembering a conversation with Harry during their lunch date with their girlfriends, where Harry talked about a game he'd recently attended, he immediately spouted off the names of the teams in question, "I'd say I'm torn between the Appleby Arrows and the Tutshill Tornadoes, they've had some great matches recently."

This was apparently the wrong thing to say, as Ron turned a shade of red Xander didn't think was physically possible for a human being. In fact, it was _exactly_ the wrong thing to say, as both the Arrows and Tornadoes had recently defeated the Chudley Cannons, the very team which Ron was the primary Keeper for.

Oddly enough, this was not the first thing which Ron began taking issue with, "He's a bloody Yank? Are you _mad_?" He looked at her like he already suspected the answer to his second question.

"Ron..." Her voice was deadly serious, but the poor drunken man caught on to none of it.

He looked back to Xander with suspicion, "Where'd she pick you up, then? Muggle pub, some tourist she happened to confund?"

This prompted Xander to push himself in the path between the two, both because he strongly disliked where the conversation was heading, and also because he had a feeling Hermione was very close to pulling her wand and hexing the young man. "I really think you need to go back into the house and let whatever the hell you've been drinking wear off."

Ron didn't look the slightest bit dissuaded, in fact he even looked encouraged as he'd gotten a response out of him. He looked at Xander, who was about the same height as him, and figured he could take him, "Or what? What's a muggle going to do to me?"

"I'm not a muggle, _pal_, but I'd rather not go throwing spells in your parent's back yard. Just leave Hermione alone, and go cool off." Xander was becoming very agitated, but he was serious when he said he didn't want to start a ruckus in the Weasley's back yard.

Ron continued to look unimpressed, and was about to continue his tirade when a new voice entered the scene, "What's going on over here?" It was Harry.

Ron suddenly believed he had an ally, "Harry, would you look at this? Hermione's gone and bewitched some poor wizard into going with her on a date, and now the bloke is getting all chuffed about it. I'm just trying to set him straight."

Harry looked disappointed in his friend, "Ron, you need to head back to the house and sober up."

"What do you mean, Harry? You aren't siding with _her_, are you?" He was turning his anger on Harry, and his stony silence sent it flaring, "Bloody hell! You _are_! How could you, Harry? After all this? Hermione goes and throws away the best relationship she'll _ever_ have, and now she's parading around with this stupid _American_ wanker on my parents' back yard!"

"Back down, Ron." Harry could be seen itching to reach for his own wand and Xander figured he was holding back for the very same reason he was. Ron looked incensed, and the diminished crowd of party goers had begun filing out to observe the commotion.

"Great! Just bloody _brilliant_!" He knew that if he drew his wand, he'd have several trained on him before he could mutter a single incantation. His shoulders slumped and he growled in frustration.

Xander turned around to see Hermione shaking in anger and embarrassment and sought to sooth her. He wiped away the angry tears running down her cheeks and whispered assurances to her. He heard Harry directing Ron back to the house behind him and wasn't paying attention when the spectators collectively gasped and he was suddenly struck from behind. He didn't have time to realize what happened before he'd fallen unconscious.

He woke up on the sofa in Hermione's flat with Hermione holding a damp cloth to his forehead and waving her wand underneath his nose. It was emitting an offensive scent which drew him from unconsciousness far too quickly for his liking. He was unfortunately quite familiar with smelling salts, and so the aroma wasn't hard to identify.

His head throbbed, and he could tell he had been bleeding by the feeling of his hair matted on his skull. As if responding to the thought, Hermione lifted the cloth from his head and uttered an incantation which cleaned his hair. He tried to thank her, but found his tongue felt unnervingly large.

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, "Don't try to talk, Xander, you hit your head awfully hard and I'm still making sure you aren't hurt too bad." As he watched her, he noticed her eyes were tear-stained and the cause for his condition came rocketing back to him. Another squeeze stopped him from leaping off the couch and finding Ron. He really had to find out if she was reading his mind.

When he'd settled down again she explained what happened, "After you turned to check on me, Harry started escorting Ron back to the house. On the way there, he stumbled but it was apparently just an act. While he was down, he pulled out his wand. He waited until Harry was distracted before shoving him down and firing a Stunner at you.

She sniffled briefly before continuing, "He had terribly good aim for as drunk as he was. The spell caught you squarely in the back, and on the way down you caught your head and opened up a nasty gash there. Several of them restrained Ron before he could do any more damage, and we got you inside as soon as we could. Once we were sure you weren't concussed, I brought you straight here."

She suddenly collapsed against him and from his position he awkwardly put his arms around her. She began sobbing uncontrollably and all he could do was hold her as he still wasn't able to form words. After a few minutes, she had fallen asleep against him, and before he knew it he fell back to sleep as well.


	27. It's The End Of The World As We Know It

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: It's The End Of The World As We Know It**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: Sorry about the cliché title. I've gotten a few comments about my tiptoeing close to bashing a particular character. I will state now that he won't be portrayed in the greatest light, especially not at first, but I have no intention of spending an inordinate amount of time stringing him up by his toes. To touch on the poker reference I made in the disclaimer, you can't know what to make of a hand until all the cards are dealt. Oh yeah, and I may draw flak because of where this chapter ends up (physically, at least). Am I cryptic enough for you, yet?

--

Xander and Hermione were woken up several hours later as Xander's magic mirror vibrated urgently in his pocket, accompanied by an insistent hooting from Perdita nearby. He still held Hermione in his arms, although she had shifted into a more comfortable position at some point. The mirror lay between them and caused them both to stir.

They sat up and tried to get their bearings. The previous night's events came rushing back, and Hermione nearly broke into tears again. Xander headed her off with a good morning kiss and a look in his eye that told her not to worry. His head still ached, making him wish the Slayer spirit had hung around in his body just a bit longer than it had, but it was survivable.

Xander flipped his mirror open to stare into the face of Willow Rosenberg. He had convinced Hermione that it would be a good idea to give at least one of his friends back in Sunnydale a similar mirror in order to communicate in case of emergency. "It's Willow," He announced. Hermione nodded and began busying herself with putting away the gifts they'd received the previous day in their proper places, leaving Xander to sit on the couch and answer the mirror.

He smiled blearily at her, "Hey Wills, it's a bit late for a Merry Christmas wish... uh, or in your case Happy Hanukkah..."

Hermione had gone upstairs and put another pile of personalized sweaters into their closet, as well as storing various nick-knacks along the dresser. She couldn't help but smirk at the flying Snitch ornament that Harry had given them, which would buzz about the Christmas tree, ducking and hiding when anyone came near. She would have to remember to put it on the tree later.

A few minutes later, Xander came walking into the bedroom, a rather stricken look on his face. "What did Willow have to say?" Hermione asked, before catching sight of his face. He was trying to look more chipper than he actually was, but Hermione had learned to see right through him, "Xander, what's wrong?"

He looked at her and tried to be jovial, but a hint of secret desperation made it into his voice, "Y'know that whole yearly apocalypse thing I was telling you about? We'll, uh, apparently we scored a two for one deal this time." Hermione just stared at him dumbfounded, so he waved his hand in front of her face, "Hermione, we don't really have time for the spacing out... we've gotta mobilize."

She snapped out of it, "Oh, right, right!" She looked panicky, "Do they need just us? Or do we need more help? What's going on?!"

He walked over to her and settled his hands down on her shoulders, "Breath, Mione, just remember to breath. All Willow could tell me over the mirror was that they need some help and that it's something big, something they aren't sure they can handle alone. So, they're calling in the reserves on this one. It might not be a bad idea to call in some extra muscle, but not too much... not until we know what's all going down."

She became resolved, remembering her promise to both Buffy and Willow that she would help her friends if they ever needed her, "Right. I can Floo call the Burrow, Harry and some of the others should still be there... would that be enough? He could rally Ginny, Neville, and Luna easily."

Xander thought it over, "Yeah, that'd be good. Hopefully we just have to go help them get a handle on the situation... if more stuff breaks down, then we can call in the big guns." And with that they parted, Xander began packing things they'd need in case things got hairy, including a few off the market potions Hermione had brewed herself in times of crisis. Hermione, meanwhile, used the Floo to call the Burrow and got in touch with Harry who in turn got a hold of Luna and Neville. The four of them, including Ginny, arrived shortly after by Floo and Xander briefed them on what little he knew.

"Alright, Harry, you've got the trick galleons all set up and explained what to do when the signal goes off?" Xander asked, to which Harry nodded.

"When and if the message on the galleons change, the Order is to travel to Sunnydale under the pretense of an oncoming battle. We'll only signal for them if things look really bad."

Ginny passed out the special badges provided by her father, courtesy of the Ministry, to get them quickly through the International Hub as well as the local terminals, "Minister Shacklebolt has already set up emergency transportation measures to get the Order to us as fast as possible. It shouldn't take them very long to get over here and portkey to the city limits."

Xander nodded in approval, "It pays to be connected. Okay, when the signal goes off we'll send transportation to shuttle them where they need to go. Once we're all gathered, we'll go into further battle plans."

They all looked at him with a mild admiration, before Neville inquired, "I'm guessing you've done this sort of thing before?"

Luna cut off any chance Xander had of answering, "Of course. He's been a key."

Xander looked at her like she was sprouting branches out of her ears, before shaking, "Let's just say I have a little battlefield experience. Let's get moving, Willow wasn't expecting us to be able to rally up this quickly, but it's never a bad thing to show up early to the end of the world."

Without another moment wasted they apparated, with Xander on Hermione's arm, to the International Hub and made their trek through the terminal, greatly appreciating the freedom the badges allowed them. Xander gave a hasty wave to the same attendant he'd met on his way to Hermione's, who just looked at him in shock as the badges let them all through.

There was little fanfare for their arrival in America, and barely any time to look at the scenery as they moved from one Floo terminal to another in their desperate rush. More attendants watched in surprise as the six youths ran past their stations, hesitating only slightly for the gates to fly open, towards the nearest bank of Floos bound for the west coast. As they proceeded, Xander was talking into his mirror, coordinating with Willow about where their transport should meet them.

They arrived at the now familiar, at least to Xander and Hermione, Los Angeles terminal. It was only a matter of exiting the Ministry office and traveling to a spot a couple of miles past the city limits of Sunnydale. Xander marveled at the fact that he had just completed his transfer to Hogwarts and essentially moved across the Atlantic Ocean just under two days prior and was already rushing back to Sunnydale for the latest crisis.

Now there was the last hurdle before they reached Sunnydale. Hermione was the only person who knew how to apparate to the location they were going. He hadn't been taught how to apparate yet, and he wasn't really sad about that. He'd had nightmares of splinching himself horribly and leaving some very important parts behind. However, this meant the transportation process would take even longer.

Hermione solved that problem by turning a bit of rubbish that was blowing past into a portkey. They all grabbed onto it and she activated it. He felt the uncomfortable sensation of a tug behind his belly button and proceeded to fall flat on his face as they landed in the grass by the side of the road. Hermione looked horrified and she was instantly next to him apologizing profusely. She even made sure to fuss over his head wound, which was little more than a faint ache whenever he moved too fast. He put his hand over her mouth and gave her a big smile to show her he was fine.

Just then, a zebra-striped van rolled up to their position. The four who had never taken a ride in it looked on in amused horror, "What in the world is _that_?" Harry pretty much pegged all their responses with that question.

However, it was Xander and Hermione who were caught off-guard when they saw Giles behind the wheel, "Giles... Oz's van?" Xander expressed his confusion.

Giles blanched, "I have... come into possession of it. We should really be getting on." With that everyone climbed into the van, and the other four were just as thrown off by the interior of the vehicle as they were the exterior. When all the doors were closed, Giles put the van in gear and headed back into town.

Xander sat in the passengers seat on the drive back, giving them a tour of the surroundings, "Welcome to Sunnydale, the town that has a little bit of everything. Sometimes we don't even know we've got a feature until some evil being tries to use it to destroy the world or just as a place to crash," Xander quipped. He glanced off to the north, "Hey, where'd that castle come from?"

Almost half an hour later, Xander sat in Giles' living room and couldn't control his disbelief, "A cyborg? You mean a real life, honest-to-goodness cyborg?"

Giles sighed, "Yes, Xander, Adam could be described as a cyborg. I can't fathom why you're so amazed. Do you not remember Ted, or Moloch?"

Xander was not deterred, "Come on... Would it kill you to let a guy's geek come up for air every once in a while?" Xander regained his composure and went back to where the conversation had diverged, "So this guy is a big mish-mash of demon parts and he almost killed Buffy when they first faced off. Are we here to be the magic strike force to wipe him out?"

Giles shook his head, pausing to wipe the frames of his glasses, "I'm afraid we've also attempted a magical assault on him... uh, with.. with mixed results."

"Mixed results?" Hermione questioned.

Willow looked downtrodden as she explained, "Yeah, mixed... as in, the magic didn't hurt him and it _did_ hurt us back."

"What?" The question was chorused by the remaining occupants of the room.

Buffy took her turn to answer, "Big Ugly is apparently magic resistant, not to mention beatdown resistant. Will and I still got a few of the bruises to prove it."

The group digested this information, and whispered conversations were halted by Xander, "I'm gone a week and you guys manage to find a Big Bad to face off with. Great. If he isn't hurt by the mojo, then what good are more of us going to do?"

Giles walked over to his desk and flopped open a massive and old looking book, which had Hermione practically salivating upon sight of it. He paged through to a bookmark he'd placed, and began summarizing what their current plan was, "Following the unsuccessful attempt at using magic to directly effect Adam, I came here to research methods of using magic to indirectly assault him. If the magic cannot be done to him, I theorized that magic could be used on another who would then face him."

Hermione looked simply abuzz at the prospect of research, "I take it you have found such magic?"

"Yes, following up on a suggestion by Tara, I sought out a ritual that would call upon a magical presence, like the Slayer spirit, in order to channel fundamental energies of individuals and temporarily bind them together. What I found was an ancient magic that would take distinct characteristics from the person and merge them in the other; for example a person's intellect could be given to whoever was chosen to receive it, allowing them to think much more clearly than they normally would be capable of."

"That sounds fascinating..." Hermione stated, curiosity painted across her features.

Giles continued after a moment, "It would allow us to impart our characteristics into Buffy, to allow her a strategic advantage over Adam. At the very least we may even the playing field." He once again looked to the text, "That is why we have called you back, Xander... we have need of your intuitive abilities, as one of the... compass directions of that make up a human being." He gestured to the four of them with each, "The Mind, Body, Heart, and Soul. Our hope is that the infusion of these aspects of ourselves will help magnify Buffy's own Slayer abilities and allow her to combat Adam more effectively."

Harry finally spoke up, observing the session with a detached interest in how the group worked together, "What about the rest of us? What can we do?"

Giles answered this after a moments thought, "I suppose you could all provide security, as we'll be quite vulnerable while the ritual is performed."

Hermione suddenly looked thoughtful, "Perhaps we could do more than that..." She traded places with Giles and began pouring over the book in which he had found the ritual. The rest of them discussed the details of what had gone on with Adam in Xander's absence. After quite a bit of time, Hermione spoke up, "The ritual was configured _ideally_ for four individuals, three to give up their abilities and one to act as a vessel which receives them.

"However, it's within reason that the addition of more participants, as long as it remains balanced, could enhance the effect. Four of us could act as guardians over the four of you, to ensure no outside forces interfere with us... in the process we may be able to provide a boost and increase the potency all the more, perhaps giving Buffy the advantage she needs. This would require that each spiritual guardian be matched with their relative ability."

"Hermione is the brain." Xander cheekily offered, earning him a smack on the arm, before Hermione shyly nodded.

She then went on to suggest who would best fit the remaining categories, "Neville would work best as the Heart, Ginny could be the Soul as she's had hers on the line before, and I think there's no doubt that Harry is the choice for the Body... he shares a lot in common with Buffy." She looked apologetically over at Luna, "I'm sorry, Luna, but there isn't quite enough room."

Luna just nodded serenely, before responding cryptically, "I'll have a part to play before it's all over." They all just looked at her in mixed confusion and amusement. Tara seemed perfectly fine about being left out of the festivities.

"Alright," Giles brought their attention back to the matter at hand, after having glanced over Hermione's hastily scribbled notes, "We'll need to go over the basics of the ritual with all of you. We need to make sure you can all remember your parts before we attempt it, as it may get quite hectic before we're finished."

"Why?" Xander asked before realizing, "Oh, silly me. I forgot nothing is ever _easy_ around here. Y'know, if you guys really wanted to throw me a big going away party, you didn't actually have to invite the 'end of the world' contingent. Seriously, I wouldn't have minded."

Giles looked at him for a moment before rolling his eyes, "Moving along... we have no idea how long this spell will last, so we're going to need to get uncomfortably close to Adam's base of operations before we can perform it. Buffy needs as much time as possible to deal with Adam as we can give her."

They spent the next several hours running through the motions, each reciting their lines and working to focus on their chosen talents in order to channel them into Buffy. While Giles worked with Buffy on her unique part in the whole process, Xander cornered Willow about something that was bugging him.

"Willow... have you heard from Oz lately?" He tried not to sound worried, but it wasn't helped by the awkward look that crossed Willow's face, "He's still alive, right?" He was prepared to hug his friend if his fear was true.

"Oh! Oh yeah, he is. At least I think he is... He's just not writing as much as he used to." She finished timidly.

"Maybe he's met someone and is getting closer to finding an answer." The look crossed her face again, "Uh, I don't mean 'met someone' like he _met_ someone... I'm sure he's still..."

"No, Xander, it's okay." She closed her eyes for a moment, "All the time getting things lined up for school has made it tough to think about things like that. We'd both been distant with everything that was going on before he even left. I know that girlwolf made him do something he was scared of and he wanted to get away to make sure it could never happen again. He didn't want to be around me until he could fully control the wolf."

Xander remembered the explanation Willow had given him after Oz had initially left, "I know he did it for a good reason, but the best friend in me still kinda wants to wring his neck for running away..."

"Xander, stop. It was mutual. He had a valid reason for wanting to go away, I realized that. He asked me to keep trying to be happy while he was gone. I want the same thing for him, too. If we get back together someday, that's great. If not, we won't have anything to regret."

Any response Xander could form was derailed as Willow gave him a crushing hug, which he gladly returned, "I'm glad you're okay, Wills. I mean it when I'd beat someone up for you."

She looked at Xander warily, but nodded, "I know, Xander, I just hope it never comes to that."

He tried to change the subject, "So, you're acting pretty progressive about the whole split... does that mean you've got your eye on someone?" Her blush answered his question while she was unable to. He just smiled at her, "Will I get to meet him?"

Willow looked momentarily stricken, but shook it off quickly, "Yeah, I think you might get to meet...him...someday, if things work out."

Xander just nodded, "So why didn't you tell me? When did this happen? What other questions should I be asking?"

She giggled, "It's been happening for a while now, I really can't remember exactly when it started... I didn't tell you cause I didn't want you to come over here trying to murder anyone." She grinned at him, "And you should be asking 'when can I go buy you some ice cream, Willow?'"

Xander returned the grin, "When can I go buy you some ice cream, Willow?"

Her smile faltered a little, "When this Adam guy is toast, okay?" He nodded and they moved to rejoin the group.


	28. I Came A Long Way To See You

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: I Came A Long Way To See You, Now I Wish You Were Dead**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: Feedback has been good, as usual. Thanks for sticking with me. We're coming close to the end of this this 'book' in the series. The follow-up, tentatively titled Overcoming Evil, shouldn't be far behind... I just have to work on some of the opening material. Hope you enjoy where I take this particular episode/chapter. Oh yeah, and brownie points for anyone that can place the full title of this chapter.

--

Giles sat at his desk and sipped at a cup of tea. Nearby, Xander was doing the same. He still had more sugar in his than was recommended by most responsible medical professionals, but being up at the crack of dawn required nothing less, in his opinion.

"The morning after you left, I was roused quite early to find Oz outside the front door," Giles explained.

Xander was surprised, "Just like that? No call ahead or anything?"

"Nothing of the sort. He wasn't alone, either. In his brief travels in search of answers about his condition, he'd met up with others who held similar goals."

"So did they find his answer? I'm guessing no because he isn't here right now," Xander presumed.

Giles shook his head, "No, unfortunately... he seems to have found more questions than answers, really." He took a sip of his tea, "One of his compatriots, a vampire by the name of Lenore, has refused to succumb to her demon's lust for human blood. Quite remarkable, really."

Xander was curious, "Is that a fact? Those shades of grey just keep on coming." He paused briefly to partake of his own beverage, "Did he have a pow-wow with Willow while he was here?"

Giles seemed to flinch, "Not as such. In fact, he'd wanted to avoid meeting her at all. Felt it would be... difficult."

Xander's jaw tightened, "_Difficult_? Because finding out he didn't want to see her at all would be a _much_ easier pill to swallow."

The anger hidden behind his sarcasm was evident, and Giles sought to curtail a further outburst. They did have company, after all. "While it is true his avoidance wouldn't make his visit any easier on Willow, I believe his intentions were not misplaced. He didn't want to face Willow only to tell her he would be going away for an even longer period of time."

The clink of Xander's cup meeting saucer made Giles cast a glance to the hallway leading to the spare room where their guests were staying. Xander looked at him, "What does that mean?"

Giles sighed, "Oz and his... companions, have decided to seek their answers on a wider path. They're planning to travel abroad to visit shamans, gurus, and the like they've heard whispers of. As such, Oz felt it prudent to leave his van in possession of someone he trusts. Namely, myself."

Xander tried not to let his protective instinct to overwhelm his understanding of Oz's search for a solution to his very dangerous condition. He poured the remaining contents of his teacup into his mouth and let the part-sugary, part-scalding liquid drown out any biting comment he might want to utter. When he felt subdued enough to speak, he asked, "I'm guessing Willow didn't take the news that Oz was here but didn't want to see her very well."

Giles stammered briefly, "N-no, not quite. However, she has come to terms with the revelation well enough. She's become quite the young woman."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "You're telling me. I really wish she would have told me about this. It's a big thing." He sighed, "Of course, she knew full well that I'd have hunted Oz down and dragged his ass here to talk to her. He didn't happen to leave behind an address... or GPS coordinates?"

Giles smirked behind the lip of his cup before responding, "No, he did not. He was under the impression that he would be quite unreachable for the foreseeable future." He took on a fatherly tone he'd unknowingly developed when speaking to Xander about certain things, "I believe it wise to stand with Willow in this matter. She has dealt with the emotions this has brought up and we should trust that she will come to us with anything she cannot resolve herself."

Xander digested Giles' words of wisdom and nodded, "I think I'm already starting to miss these little morning chats... who else am I going to annoy with my desecration of good English tea by adding sugary goodness?" This earned an eye roll from the man in question, although the smile on his face was one of satisfaction.

Later that afternoon, Buffy called the house sounding less than pleased, "Giles, we've got to get a move on."

"What's happened?" He asked immediately.

"Riley just called me... hell is breaking loose in the Intiative, though not quite as literally as we're used to. Someone, probably Adam, has started letting all the demons out of containment, it's a war zone in there and there's no way the soldier boys can hold them back forever. If we don't do something, they're going to get out."

Giles threw a hand to his forehead, "Dear lord! It appears as if our hand has been forced. Everyone, get moving, we've no time to waste."

Xander shared a look with Hermione who nodded, before turning to Harry, "Give the signal... we aren't going to have time to pick them up, so they have to arrange their own transportation." He gave a grim look to his friends as he slipped into business-mode, "They're to stay outside, no one comes in. Their mission is containment... either we stop Adam, or we take out as many of his minions as we can trying." Harry nodded and worked on manipulating the galleon to relay the message. Ginny followed along to guide him towards the van as his eyes were locked on his task.

On they way to their destination, Harry called out when they'd received a response to the message, "They're on their way, and they've got transportation, we just need to tell them where to go."

Buffy crawled over by him and relayed the coordinates for the most critical entrances to the Initiative. As he sent them through the galleon, he repeated Xander's assertion that they were to remain outside and contain anything that tried to get out at all costs.

They arrived at the entrance to the Initiative that Riley was helping them to enter through, and Xander couldn't help but comment, "A frat house? The super secret government agency lets people enter through a frat house? The commanding officer in me is appalled by this." When Hermione looked at him curiously he shrugged, "Long story. Lots of fuzzy memories. I'll tell it to you later."

Buffy shushed Xander and led them all into the frat house as quietly as possible. The usual inhabitants of the house were undoubtedly embroiled in the fight beneath the structure, and weren't there to prevent their entry.

They reached an unassuming stretch of wall and waited. A moment later, a section of the wall sank inwards and slid away to reveal a stainless steel doorway which almost instantly followed the previous opening into the wall. Standing there was a haggard looking soldier who had multi-colored bits of gore splattered across him from all directions.

"Riley, oh my god! Are you okay?" Buffy asked as she rushed up to check on him.

"Yeah, it's nasty down there. I didn't like having to leave my soldiers down there." He was obviously anxious to return to his friends in the bowels of the Initiative.

Buffy understood at once, "Let's move it, there isn't much time."

The elevator was quite crowded after they'd all filed in, and Riley was compelled to comment, "There's more of you than I was expecting."

Xander spoke up in response, "I brought friends, figured they could help."

The elevator continued to sink into the ground, "What kind of training do they have?"

Xander raised an eyebrow, "You know all that stuff you don't really believe in? We specialize in it." Riley looked at him for a moment, before nodding.

The elevator softly pinged and the doors opened to a world of chaos. The ringing of gunfire and the crackle of electricity mixed with the bestial roars and screeches like a cacophony of pandemonium. They immediately had to begin ducking as projectiles flew about them in the chaos, and Riley shouted, "Everybody keep down!"

Buffy managed to pull Neville down right before he would have had his head blown off by a flurry of bullets. She shouted back at Riley over the din, "We need to get to room 314!" He nodded, took a moment to get his bearings before altering their course for their destination.

They narrowly avoided disaster several more times, Ginny barely having enough time to throw up a hasty Shield charm to divert a charge from a stungun that veered her way. They all piled into the hallway leading to room 314 to find a line of demons blocking their way. Riley started raising his blaster until a similar line of people were standing next to him aiming little sticks towards the beasts and wiped them out with a series of flashes of energy.

He didn't bother to question what just happened, he just pushed forward until they were standing outside the room, "It's key card access... I don't have clearance to get in. Hang on, I'll try to blow it open." He raised his rifle to fire, but Hermione pushed his gun back down.

She once again aimed her stick at the lock and whispered, "_Alohamora_!" There was a click, and the access light on the door turned green. At Riley's look, "Even muggle electronics aren't above magic." He found he was no less confused after her explanation.

"This is as far as I go... I'm not abandoning my men again. You're on your own from here." They nodded their understanding and proceeded in as he covered them, before letting the door fall closed behind them.

The sounds of battle still pounded their way through the walls, reminding them of what was taking place outside. Giles took a moment to impress upon them the delicacy of the situation, "The enjoining spell is extremely touchy. It can be, uh, volatile. We can't risk it being interrupted. We need a place that's protected and quiet."

Without another word, Luna pointed her wand and put up both silencing and locking charms on the appropriate areas. Harry and Neville searched the walls to find the hidden entrance that led to the secret chamber where Adam was directing his operations.

The rest of them drew up a ritual circle, and the four main participants took their places at the four compass points. The others knelt behind them and holding their hands above the shoulders of those seated. Hermione lit the candles that surrounded them with a flick of her wand before taking her position kneeling right behind Giles. She gave significant look to Xander, who gave it right back. Everyone here was nervous, but their determination wouldn't let them wallow in it.

Giles looked to Willow, indicating it was now or never. Luna perched herself near the secret passage, alongside Tara, as Willow began the incantation, "The power of the Slayer and all who yield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us in the power we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit join. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will."

An unnatural wind picked up in the room, flickering the flames of the candles that surrounded them but not putting them out. Everyone did their best to concentrate on what they needed to, focusing on sharing their abilities with each other and Buffy.

Willow continued the ritual, speaking softly, "_Spiritus_... The Spirit." She turned a tarot card face up in front of her, bearing a picture of a ghost. Kneeling behind her, Ginny focused on her encounter with Tom Riddle and the battle for her very soul that took place in the Chamber of Secrets.

"_Animus_... The Heart." Xander spoke calmly, and flipped over a card bearing bright red heart. Neville rested behind him, thinking about his friendships and the emotions he felt for Luna. "_Sophus_... The Mind." Giles took his turn, displaying a card with a wrinkled brain. Hermione tried to concentrate on all her time spent in libraries and her constant desire to learn new things and reason out problems. Buffy sat rigid as she continued the ritual, "_Manus_... The Hand." She laid down her card, bearing two hands crossed, one open, the other balled into a fist. Harry centered his thoughts on his struggle with Voldemort, how the dark wizard used his body as a vessel for his Horcrux and how he sacrificed his life in order to rid himself of it. Willow could feel the energy vibrating through herself, and had to try hard to keep herself from being lost in it. She bit her lip for a moment before continuing, "We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel...the hand...daughter of Sineya...first of the ones..." A rumbling began, starting in the floor beneath them but eventually working its way into their bodies, and they felt the magic release all at once. Seven beams of light erupted and struck Buffy, bathing her in a brilliant glow. They each had to fight not to bring a hand up to cover their eyes. The flow of energy rushed for no more than five seconds, but they all felt the effects of it. The participants, save for Buffy, all collapsed in exhaustion. Buffy, on the contrary, felt invigorated like never before. She could feel a multitude of presences inside her head, all communicating and strategizing. The ritual had opened up a war room inside her skull, but she didn't find it the least bit distracting. While there were many voices, they all chorused in a way she couldn't adequately describe. Realizing that she was wasting time, Buffy climbed to her feet and left Luna to protect her friends. She didn't need to check their bodies to know they were alright, they were in her head to tell her. She made her way through the hidden door, allowing Tara and Luna shut and seal it behind her. She followed the narrow corridor through twists and turns, never wavering in her determination to end this fight tonight. Buffy marched her way through a lab to find it wasn't empty. Two reanimated scientists, one of whom she recognized as her Pyschology professor, and one of Riley's friends looking like a regular Frankenstein's monster. They turned to see her and immediately stepped to take action, but a wave of her hand threw them all against the wall and bound them in cords. She had bigger fish to fry, and didn't need to waste time fighting anyone other than Adam. She finally came to what appeared to be a command center, even equipped with monitors which afforded her a view of the combat taking place throughout the complex. The many presences in her mind immediately took note of the presence of spellfire among the chaos. The Order had obviously ignored their demand to stay outside. She tensed as she felt Adam approaching, and spoke with a multitude of voices, "That isn't just a distraction out there, is it?" "I appreciate the violence, but no. Both sides are fighting to supply my army. Their remains will build a new breed of soldiers unlike anything seen before." Adam responded with a detached reverence.

"Except for you. We will not allow you to succeed." _They_ threatened, the voice sounding stronger as the temporary bond really kicked in. _They_ immediately launched into an attack, trading punches with the cyborg faster than the eye could see.

Straightaway, though, it could be seen that Buffy's added abilities were making a difference. Adam was quickly pushed back, until he finally reeled and rolled out of range of her fists.

"Interesting." He commented plainly, obviously processing what could have happened to lift her power above his own. Nothing logical occurred to him, "Perhaps a change in tactics is in order." He lifted his right arm and it reconfigured itself into what appeared to be a minigun, before adding with a touch of pride, "I've been upgrading."

With a wave of _their_ hand a blue-tinged shield rose up and halted the bullets, which began spewing from his arm, in mid-air before vanishing them. With an amused look _they_ responded, "You aren't the only one." He fired more rounds at her, and they too were dispatched.

Supercharged Buffy was growing tired of Adam's persistence with the gunfire, "Are you _quite_ finished?"

Adam regarded her with curiosity, "You can't last much longer."

All eight voices spoke to him simultaneously, their volume enough that one could recognize each one if they tried, "We can. We are forever."

Adam was clearly unsure how to interpret this situation, "Very interesting."

He changed tactics again, his gun arm transforming into a launcher. He directed a rocket towards the shield. _They_ dropped it for a moment, muttering an incantation, which transfigured the rocket into a dove. _They_ stared at him with a fierce determination, before suddenly cracking a smile and declaring, "And for my next trick, I'll pull a rabbit out of a hat."

Buffy cocked her head to the side and began reprimanding herself, "Xander!" She turned her head to the other side and looked properly shamed, "Sorry."

Adam grew more and more disconcerted at the unexplainable things he was seeing. A tick began developing in what remained of his human body, "How...can you..."

"You could never hope to grasp the source of..." Xander's voice led the statement, but quickly drifted back amongst the collective, "..._our_ power." In a flash _they_ were upon him, hailing blows on him faster than he could respond. He flailed helplessly, until Buffy delivered an uppercut which sent him off his feet.

_They_ looked down at him with a measure of pity, before making a fist and declaring "_Dissocio_" while splaying the fingers back out. The result was a brutal and efficient dissection of Adam's interconnected demon parts. What was left in his prior place was the uranium power cell which had powered is monstrous form.

"But yours is right here." Buffy reached out for the power cell, which levitated to her hand for further observation. _They_ suddenly staggered momentarily, and realized the enjoining spell, having completed it's task, was starting to fade. She whispered "_Minimus_" and the glowing green cylinder began collapsing in on itself until it simply popped out of existence. And all at once, the spell cast their spirits apart unceremoniously, forcing Buffy to fall into unconsciousness.

She awoke some time later in initially unfamiliar surroundings. She found herself woken amid an apparently heated argument. She could vaguely recognize one of the voices, but it wasn't making much sense.

"Dad! We told you to remain outside! And yet you came barging into a situation that could have put you all in danger! How could you be so irresponsible?" Ginny was livid.

Arthur Weasley, on the other hand, looked somewhat bemused, "Now you know what it's like when the shoe is on the other foot, young lady. All those years you went gallivanting off with Harry to fight those wretched Death Eaters, leaving your mother and I to worry you wouldn't come home alive! It was difficult enough to get her to stay home this time, but someone had to watch little Teddy.

This shut Ginny up, and his expression softened, "Besides, it looked to us like those muggles were in desperate need of assistance. Would you have us stand back and let them die? No, I don't think you would.

He turned to see that Buffy had regained consciousness and smiled kindly at her, "Oh, hello, dear! So good to see you're awake. You've given us quite a fright!" At Buffy's confused expression, "Oh, my, I've been introduced to you but you've no idea who I am, do you? I am Arthur Weasley, Ginny here's father. I'm also a member of the Order of the Phoenix."

Buffy just looked at the genial-looking older man blankly, "Hi."

"Well, you appear to be alright... you certainly to heal fast, young miss." He looked prepared to ask her a question, but a look from Ginny stopped his train of thought, "Right, I'll just go fetch your friends, they're anxious to see you up and around."

As promised Willow, Tara, Xander, and Giles all eagerly entered the room to see her awake. Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Neville, and Luna all squeezed in as well. She now recognized the room as Giles' spare, which really hadn't been meant for so many people. A round of hugs were given, a little awkwardly with the people she hardly knew, but the comfort they brought was nonetheless welcome.

After pleasantries were exchanged, Buffy couldn't help but ask, "What happened at the Initiative?"

Giles decided to fulfill the duty of storyteller, "Well, after you passed out, we went and retrieved you from the chamber. We returned to the main portion of the facility to find the chaos still ongoing. However, there was the unsolicited, though not entirely unwelcome, presence of the Order of the Phoenix fighting back alongside the Initiative solders."

"I remember seeing spells on some monitors... I thought maybe it was you guys, but I guess that wasn't really possible," Buffy noted.

"Yes, we were a bit... preoccupied to be able to enter the fray until afterwards." Giles conceded, "We evacuated you from the facility while the Order and the remaining spellcasters stayed behind to finish the job."

Xander looked a little pale, "It got pretty ugly in there... some of the demons weren't going down to magic either. Took a few more hits to take them out, and that led to some... messy results."

Willow agreed, "Let's just say the Initiative probably isn't getting back their cleaning deposit."

"Even though we told them not to enter, it was most definitely a good thing that the Order came in anyway. It would have been much harder to handle with the numbers we initially faced," Giles conceded. Buffy finally managed to climb out of the bed and stand on her own two feet.

Xander felt like lightening the mood again, "So," He clapped his hands together, "The world has once again been pulled back from the brink of epic catastrophe. I _really_ think we should start charging for our services. Y'know, a nice hourly rate with overtime and health benefits. Who's with me?" The roomful of people just rolled their eyes at him, but laughed heartily nonetheless.

Buffy sighed, "I need a vacation. And I don't mean a slay-my-boyfriend-and-run-away-to-LA kind of vacation, those don't work." She suddenly got an idea, "Why don't we have a party or something? We never throw any sort of celebration when we do the whole world saving thing... why don't we start? The world at least owes us a party." The idea was met with mixed reactions.

Neville looked at the Americans with appraising eyes, "Just how many times _have_ you saved the world?"

The party was set. The Order of the Phoenix returned to England after the danger had passed, although Mr. Weasley had to be pried away from the van that used to belong to Oz. This left Buffy's friends and Hermione's friends, soon becoming the same thing, to arrange the celebration. Buffy, Willow, and Ginny took over planning while the rest sat back and wondered what they were getting themselves into.

Except Luna, she was trying to discuss Crumple-Horned Snorkacks with Buffy's mother, who had misguidedly agreed to let them have the party at the house. It didn't take her long to decide that it would be a good idea to see if the art gallery was locked up tight.

The girls put together a spectacular night of food, music, and dancing. Unfortunately, it didn't progress very far beyond the food because, once through dinner, all eight participants in the spell flopped face down on the table into a state of unconsciousness that neither Luna, Tara, nor Riley could stir them from.


	29. What Dreams May Come: Part 1

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: What Dreams May Come – Part 1: Soul Searching**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

**Author's Note**: Next four chapters are a bit of a trip. Each will deal with a portion of the dreamstate our heroes have been sucked into. There are all sorts of images and ideas that are going to be floating through these chapters. Some of them are obvious, others subtle... some of them will carry on to events in Books 2 and 3 of the series, some are just there as misdirection. (Think the cheese slice guy) I'm looking forward to seeing some of the theories and speculation about what you guys think might happen.

**Author's Note B**: Okay, I know these chapters are going to be quite weird. Even I realize that. It might make reading them a bit difficult. For that, I apologize. That's why I'm going to try and get through them as fast as possible. Hopefully, it'll be like the actual episode, Restless, in that you can go back to it later and say "Hey! I see what he was trying to do there now!" On a side note, while they can be considered insane, these chapters are some of my favorites because they were so much fun to research and write.

--

Willow awoke with a start to find herself in the dark. She reached her hand out for a light switch or lamp, only to bump it against the wall less than a foot away. She did the same thing on her other side, and found the same result. She took a step backwards and found yet another wall flanking her. She suddenly saw a sliver of light near the floor in front of her, and soon made out the shape of a door in front of her.

She stepped towards it and felt for a knob, only to find the door had no such thing. Panic was beginning to set in, and she felt up and down the surface for anything that might act as a release for the very obvious door in front of her.

When the search failed, she started hammering on the door and shouting for help. The last voice she expected called to her from the other side, "Willow?"

"G...Ginny? Is that you?" Willow asked tentatively.

"Yeah, what are you doing in there?" Ginny asked curiously. Willow paused a moment at that question. Where was she? Did it really matter?

"I don't know! Can you get me out of here?" Willow meekly requested.

"Hang on!" She was silent for several moments, "There's no handle! Let me... I don't have my wand!"

It suddenly occurred to Willow that she was a witch. She felt around her clothes for her wand, which would undoubtedly allow her to open the door before her in a way that required her magic. She was just as upset as Ginny to find that her wand was nowhere to be found, "I don't like it in here."

Ginny could tell the other girl was beginning to let panic overtake her, as her voice was growing frantic. She looked around the barren white room and wished there was something that would allow her to get the stupid door open. She didn't know Willow very well, but she didn't like to hear the increasing fear in the girl's words.

She realized there was nothing she could do, no tool she could use to pry open the door. Just as she was about to start kicking at the door, a gentle hand tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around to see a demure-looking little blond, who she suddenly recognized as Tara, one of Willow's friends. Her first instinct was to demand the girl help free her friend, but the words caught in her throat for some reason.

The girl just smiled serenely at her, not unlike Luna, and gestured with her eyes to the door. Without a word, Ginny felt herself step back and allow the girl access. She took several timid steps forward and reached out her hand. As if on command, an intricately designed knob faded into view, which she immediately turned and pulled.

Light flooded into the tiny room where Willow was rocking herself gently back and forth to keep herself from freaking out. She squinted in the sudden brightness, throwing a hand in front of her eyes. She hopped up to her feet and lunged out of the room and enveloped the nearest body in a tight, thankful hug, "Ginny, you did..."

She paused, as she stared over the shoulder of the recipient of her hug and saw the embarrassed redhead looking at her, "You're... there... so I'm..." She jumped backwards instantly, and took in her would-be savior, whom she immediately recognized, "T..Tara?

Willow blushed a crimson to match her and Ginny's hair while glancing back towards the room she came from. Her eyes bugged out, shifting between Tara and the room, before she saw the closet door fade into the stark white wall.

Ginny said nothing, only watched as Willow had what appeared to be an inner monologue while the blond smiled at them kindly and silently. Suddenly, Tara turned away from them and proceeded across the room.

The girls meekly followed, curious to see where she was going. The room seemed to open up in a way that shouldn't have been possible. It seemed to grow by length and width as they walked, until Tara stopped on particular spot and performed an odd twirl that would have looked much less strange coming from Luna Lovegood.

As she finished her spin, a design wrote itself out on the floor, and she planted herself down cross-legged in the very center. None of the symbols meant anything to either of them, and they didn't have time to examine them further as their attention was drawn to the flames that rose up at various points of the design. None were larger than a balled fist, and their colors rotated from red on through to violet before beginning again.

From the flames, a multitude of insects began floating about; butterflies, ladybugs, fireflies, even beetles and moths. They traced paths around Tara, who was doing her best to concentrate on whatever task the ritual was intended to perform.

With a sudden rumble, the walls of the room began to shake even as they seemed to draw inward to an almost claustrophobic degree. As bare as the white walls were, Willow and Ginny could see them shuddering with the force of the assault on their opposing sides. It sounded as if a thousand attackers were trying to beat their way into the room from the outside. Neither girl knew if the walls would hold against them.

Tara startled them by speaking, her voice sounding just the slightest bit flustered, but loud and clear even over the racket from the walls, "They're coming for me soon." Before either of them could ask who _they_ are, the circular design flashed as bright as the sun for a moment, and the flames became as black as midnight.

The peaceful and harmonious creatures which circled around Tara's form were sucked back into those flames, and in their place returned the blackest and vilest looking spiders, snakes, and scorpions. They began crawling towards Tara, who was trying desperately to retain her concentration. Willow and Ginny made a move to help her, but were thrown back by the boundaries of the circle.

It was when the creatures finally touched her and began to crawl on her that she could hold it no more. She slapped at the beasts, trying urgently to get them off of her. Another flash, and they disappeared just as quickly as they came. The design on the floor melted away, and the two girls again tried to approach Tara.

She screamed, throwing her hands in front of her face and backed away from them. Willow still persisted, "Tara, let us help you... you could be hurt!"

She screamed again, "Don't look at me!" She then took off straight towards one of the walls. The door Willow had been trapped behind earlier reappeared and flung itself open just long enough for Tara to pass through before it slammed again. Ginny led Willow in the pursuit towards the door, hoping it didn't disappear before they reached it.

Willow laid her hand upon the door and pulled it open with as much force as she could manage. What it revealed was the last thing either of them expected, another stretch of blank white wall. Willow cried out and pounded on the wall until Ginny pulled her back. The door had vanished again, but on the far side of the room a crimson drape had appeared and fluttered lazily from a imperceptible breeze.

The two girls looked at each other and nodded looping arms in a show of support as they moved towards the drapery. Simultaneously they grabbed at the material and pulled it to the side before stepping in.

Willow and Ginny suddenly saw themselves in what appeared to be the staging area of some sort of theatrical performance. The sudden rush of colors their new surroundings contained left them unsteady for a few moments.

They looked around to see a crowd of people rushing around, all dressed in costumes ranging from slightly odd to the downright absurd. It was as they examined the costumes that they began recognizing the people. Standing off to the side there was someone dressed in a full suit of shining white armor.

Upon seeing them, it took a step forward with an arm raised in greeting, before tripping over their own feet and falling flat on their face. The helmet popped off and revealed a shaggy head of dark hair that Willow instantly recognized as Xander's.

When he looked up at them, though, they both gasped as they saw his eyes were not the same as they remembered. His right eye remained thankfully the same, but his left held nothing but the remnants of a ghastly scar, sealing his eye away for all eternity. Still, he smiled at them as cheerily as ever, "Sorry, that keeps happening to me."

He was then hoisted back to his feet by a remarkably younger looking Giles. He was wearing what appeared to be a tweed suit, only it happened to have the sleeves cut off. It showed off his well-muscled arms as well as a rather large tattoo on his left one which read, "God Save The Queen – From Rock And Roll!" He grinned lecherously as he saw the two girls checking it out.

Another crowd of people stood nearby and caught their attention. The most recognizable of the lot was Buffy, who was dressed like a cavewoman, her hair matted and a paint-like substance smeared in tribal designs across her face. She grunted at them before crouching down and moving off on what looked like a hunt.

Standing right beside where she was, the dark Slayer Faith was dressed in what could be considered a naughty version of an angelic costume, although with a very noticable devil's tail protruding from her behind. The halo above her head seemed to look like a tiny ball of light traveling in a circle, rather than being solid. She smirked at them and rested her hands on her hips, "Hey there, Red."

Oz was standing next to her, but didn't appear to be wearing a costume at all beyond a name tag that read 'Oz'. He just waved at them and remained silent.

A repeated thumping noise drew their attention to another part of the staging area, and Ginny gasped as she saw "Mad-Eye" Moody dressed in the most absurd outfit she had ever seen. Willow recognized it as something worn by golfers decades ago, almost head to toe in argyle. Even his peg leg was themed, replaced by a gold club with a large wooden head.

He held a scroll in his hands and barked for everyone to gather around him, which they eagerly did. He pulled the scroll open in front of him, but his mad eye suddenly spun around and focused on Willow and Ginny, "Someone get the stars over here!" A round of applause passed through the giant curtain which bordered the stage.

Giles was suddenly behind them, and placed a hand on the small of their backs to push them forward. The crowd of performers parted before them until they stood directly in front of Moody. He looked at them with something akin to contempt, before suddenly grinning widely.

The crowd suddenly began booing. "All right, everyone! Pay attention! Now, everyone that these girls have ever met," His mad eye spun towards Willow and Ginny, "are out in that audience, including all of us. That means we have to be perfect!"

He returned both his eyes to the parchment and read from it, "Acting is not about behaving, it's about hiding. The audience wants to find you, strip you naked, and eat you alive... so _hide_." The crowd cheered fanatically.

"It's all about subterfuge. Now go on out there, lie like dogs, and have a wonderful time. If we can stay in focus, keep our heads, and these girls..." His eye flew to Willow and Ginny again, and spoke with a voice that wasn't his own, "...can keep themselves out of harm's way, I know this will be the best production of _A Winter's Tale_ ever put together."

Willow looked completely panicked, and Ginny grabbed her arms to calm her. Suddenly, the crowd outside began chanting their names, "_Willow! Ginny! Willow! Ginny!_" Everyone backstage rushed to their side and began pushing them towards the stage.

Ron stood by the part in the curtain and gestured for them to come closer. He was dressed like something out of colonial times, with a mangy powdered wig atop his head. Inexplicably, he held a platter filled with eggs in one hand, while the other was wrapped around a golden rope, and he spoke dangerously, "It's time to begin."

As the curtain began to rise, Willow and Ginny finally took a look at themselves and they're horrified at what they saw. Willow was standing naked as the day she was born, causing her to squeak and throw her arms over her important bits. She tried to grab at the curtain to cover herself, but it was crawling too high for her to reach for it in a dignified manner, leaving her out for everyone to see.

Ginny found herself dressed in dark robes holding an intricate mask in her hand. She pulled it up to look, only to realize it was the mask associated with the Death Eaters. She threw the mask away, while Willow tried desperately to cover herself from the crowd, filled with rows and rows of faceless people.

There was an abrupt heavy-sounding thud nearby and both girls turned to see Harry lying on the ground, lifeless. Ginny was even more horrified to see her own hand pointing towards him, holding a wand with a tiny wisp of smoke rising from it, like the barrel of a muggle gun.

Another thud from behind them, and Ginny feared she'd killed another person, so she tossed her wand from her hand only to find it was stuck to her.

Apprehensively both she and Willow turned again to see Luna Lovegood standing beside an open casket stood on end, dressed appropriately as the Grim Reaper. She looked at them impatiently and gestured to the coffin, "Well? Time is running short."

The women stood rooted to their spot, both terrified to move. It was then that "Mad-Eye" Moody stepped up behind them and gave a hearty shove that knocked them both to the floor while a wispy white form erupted from them into the casket before the lid slammed shut.


	30. What Dreams May Come: Part 2

**Chapter Thirty: What Dreams May Come – Part 2: Where The Heart Is**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: The crazy continues... I don't really know what to add that I didn't say in the previous Notes from the previous chapter. All of this should make sense... eventually. Bear with me, please. Any guesses about what stuff means are welcome. Or you can just tell me I'm nuts. Not like I haven't heard it before.

--

Xander awoke with a start and immediately shivered. The nighttime air around him was ice cold and he didn't have any sort of jacket. He looked around to see the ground covered with a significant amount of snow.

He also took the opportunity to notice the gigantic forrest he was lying next to. A few more glances and he began to recognize the grounds of the esteemed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. How in the world had he ended up here?

It was also then that he noticed a figure hopping about nearby. He climbed to his feet and made his way towards them. As he drew closer, he saw another shape flapping above the figures head, and that whoever it was kept swatting at the airborne pest.

"Get away from me!" Neville proclaimed. He took one last swat at what appeared to be a rather large bat, before it finally seemed to have had enough and flew off towards the full moon overhead. He noticed someone approaching and was relieved to see it was Xander, "Do you know how we got into Hogwarts?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Neville..." He shivered again, "I wouldn't mind a jacket, though."

Neville reached into his pocket and pulled out his wand, then attempted to transfigure Xander's sweater into something more appropriate. Something went wrong as a warm woolen jacket was not what his shirt turned into, and Xander's arms were violently yanked behind him.

Straps circled his torso and left him tightly bound. Xander was not amused, "A straight jacket? This isn't funny, Neville!"

"I wasn't trying to be! Something went wrong!" He quickly ran around behind him and began undoing the multitude of buckles that had appeared. After a few moments Xander was free, but the jacket vanished leaving him entirely shirtless.

He ran his hands up and down his arms fast enough to cause a bit of friction burn, but he didn't care. Suddenly they both noticed a roaring fire made of emerald flames in front of a moderately sized hut near the edge of the forest. "Hagrid's hut! Let's move!" Neville grabbed his arm and pulled him along, hoping to get him within the circle of warmth the fire would provide.

As they got closer, they were alarmed to see a shifting black mass covering the hut itself. The light of the fire allowed them to see more dark patches fluttering down to join the shadow. As they were almost upon the the shack, they finally saw the thousands if not millions of wings and beaks which rested upon the hut.

Much to their displeasure, the blazing fire was giving off no heat whatsoever, and they were just as frigid as they were before, although the exercise of running had gotten their systems running a little hotter.

They stood in awe of the flock before them. It was even more unnerving to have each and every bird staring right back at them. Here and there birds would fly in or out of the mass, but any which chose to leave didn't get far before dropping like rocks out of the sky. They could then see a ring around the hut made up of their corpses.

Suddenly the hut lit up from the inside, an intense light pouring out of every window and around the frame of the door. That same door abruptly swung open and bathed them in it. They had to throw hands up to spare their eyesight.

From out of the doorway came an angelic looking Luna Lovegood, dressed in a flowing white gown. She stood at the top of Hagrid's steps, and the flock around her suddenly all turned their eyes on her. She smiled serenely at them, and continued down the steps. Xander stood at attention, unsure of her intentions. Neville couldn't help the swell in his heart at seeing his girlfriend.

She finally halted her progress as she stopped right in front of them. The tranquil smile never left her face for a moment. She saw Xander still shivering in the cold night air. With a wave of her hand she was holding the exact type of jacket Neville had been trying to transfigure earlier, and another wave Xander found himself wrapped in it. It was as warm as if he'd been wearing it all along.

Neville jumped as he felt flapping about his head again, and was perturbed to find the same over sized bat had returned to circle his head. He took several swings, and even Xander joined in, but it just would not leave Neville alone. Neville was about to grab for his wand again, when Luna simply reached in to grab the bat and then held it up towards the moon. The bat took off out of her hand and flew towards the full moon once again.

Neville turned to thank her but she was no longer standing there. He looked around to see she was standing behind Xander, who blocked out all but the train of her dress and her unmistakable hair. Xander was startled by her move and tensed. He grew even more nervous when she reached up to rest her hands on his shoulders. She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "The sparrows are flying again."

With an almost deafening sound the mammoth flock of birds, which they now seemed to realize were sparrows, sprang into the air all at once and headed off into the night. They were amazed to see the mass of birds was so large that it literally blotted out the moon and the light it cast down on them. If it weren't for the firelight nearby, they would have been shrouded in complete darkness.

The hands left his shoulders, allowing him to relax, as she began making her way around in front of them again. They both gasped as her once shining white gown, as well as her hair, was now the color of ink. In addition, her left eye was covered with a startling black patch. She stepped in front of Xander and performed a similarly awkward gesture of running her right thumb over his left eye, "Some things cannot be changed, but we must reconcile the differences."

Suddenly Xander couldn't see out of his left eye. His right one stared in alarm at Luna, who had returned to her angelic white attire and blond hair, as well as losing the patch that had been there for only a few moments.

He threw a hand up to his face, "What did you do?" He felt it there, the patch that Luna had just been wearing was now on him. He grabbed at it and immediately pulled it off, but was horrified to find he still had no sight from the eye. Panic began setting in, as he ran his hand over the spot where his eye _should_ have been. Instead, he found only a smooth depression beneath his eyebrow, as if no eye had ever existed.

He screamed, the cry echoing in the night, and the panic that had been approaching him pounced like a lion. He pulled away from Luna, unable to continue to look at her. He threw his gaze in all directions, still terrified that his world has been reduced by one dimension. Without another thought, he began running, hoping perhaps that he could outrun this nightmare and find himself back in a different world.

He halted when he collided with a solid gigantic door. He looked up to see the Hogwarts emblem and realized he was at the front doors. He almost looked behind him, but didn't dare risk his other eye. It was all he had left. With a mighty heave he thrust open the doors and entered.

The change in scenery was surprising, to say the least. From the entrance door he suddenly found himself moving into the Great Hall. The gloomy dark of the outside was replaced by a clear and unbelievably bright day being displayed on the enchanted ceiling. And the wide open space which he and Neville had crossed outside was replaced by a gigantic hall filled from one end to the other with people.

He recognized some. The Weasleys were nearby, and waved at him enthusiastically. More members of the Order of the Phoenix stood about, all dressed in their Sunday best. He suddenly realized that everyone was dressed as if at some formal occasion. Even he was, and not just in any old suit either. He was decked out in a rather expensive looking tuxedo.

The crowd in front of him suddenly parted like the red sea, and he saw just what kind of occasion they had gathered for. The farthest portion of the hall was filled with rows upon rows of white wooden folding chairs, all facing the place where the head table would normally sit. Instead, the dais was occupied by an altar and a handful of people dressed to kill. Somebody was getting married, and he had a sneaking suspicion that somebody was him.

His suspicion was confirmed as George Weasley, accompanied by an identical twin standing next to him, began singing in the tune of a funeral dirge, "Here comes the groom... sprung from the womb... walks through the gloom... on to his doom..." They then fell silent.

Xander wandered away from that strange scene and down the aisle formed by both guests and chairs. As he drew closer to the front of the hall, he could make out the wedding party waiting for him. On the side of the groomsmen stood Harry, Ron, and Neville. Neville looked tremendously relieved to see Xander, and who looked back at the him apologetically. Xander felt bad for having abandoned Neville in the rush of terror. He saw Neville make a move to join him, but Ron grasped onto his shoulder with an iron grip.

The bridesmaids were quite stunning, wearing dresses of the deepest crimson. It was an odd color for two of them, as both Willow and Ginny's hair seemed to blend into their gowns. Buffy looked radiant, but she seemed to be on guard as well. He thought he could see a stake protruding from the bouquet in her hands.

He suddenly saw his parents, sitting in the front row, looking very disgruntled. They just had to be thinking about having to foot the bill for all this.

Without realizing it, he had taken up his position on the podium, with the pastor standing just behind him. The wedding march began playing, and everyone turned their attention to the doors to the Great Hall. They parted noisily and allowed a single figure through, before slamming closed.

The minuscule looking spec of white drew closer with each passing moment, until it was very obviously a woman wearing a white dress. Xander's eyes... he almost jumped as he realized he once again had both of his eyes.

He wanted to rejoice, but felt Harry put a calming hand on his shoulder. He did a quick sweep of the crowd and spotted Luna standing out among the crowd, also with both her eyes.

The shimmering white dress came closer and closer, but he couldn't make out who it was. An opaque veil covered her entire head, preventing him from seeing who it was. In his mind it could only be one woman, but he didn't dare to hope. Was it weird that he was getting married to Hermione and they had only even been together for a few months? Was it weird that there were a lot of people he didn't believe he'd ever met attending the wedding?

All thoughts ceased as the woman walked up onto the dais to stand before him. If he squinted he could catch the faintest sight of curly brunette hair through the veil, and his heart relaxed a little bit. He was a little afraid of the fact that he was getting married so soon, but couldn't imagine another person he would ever want to do this with.

In a whirlwind, the wedding proceeded. The pastor oversaw the affair from behind his hood, a book in one hand while his other held up a staff with a pulsing green orb at its top. During the ceremony Xander and Hermione responded where appropriate. It was unbelievably heartening to hear the conviction with which Hermione declared, "I do." He tried to fill his own declaration with as much passion as he was feeling.

The pastor came to the end, "By the power vested in me, by first and most sacred power in this world, I now pronounce you man and wife." In a strange flash he imagined he had switched places with Neville as he stared lovingly at Luna in her flattering dress, but it was quickly gone.

Xander couldn't help but grin as he grabbed the corners of Hermione's veil and lifted it up over her head. She responded in a voice that didn't fit his expectation, "I love you, Xander."

Xander stared blankly at the face staring back at him and uttered the only thing he felt capable of, "_Anya_?"

"You gave up on me so easily!" She exclaimed.

He was confused, "Anya, you said _you_ were over me... _you_ just left."

She returned angrily, "Didn't you think I might have been playing hard to get? You didn't even _try_ to come after me!"

Between them the pastor lifted his hood from his face to reveal the disfigured face of The Master, who started laughing.

She ignored him, "You broke my heart, Xander. Now I'm taking yours!" The next thing he saw was her clawed hand plunging into his chest and ripping his heart straight out of his chest. She held it for a moment before it shattered like glass and he collapsed in a heap, as did Neville.


	31. What Dreams May Come: Part 3

**Chapter Thirty-One: What Dreams May Come – Part 3: Mind Over Matter**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: More pieces of the puzzle are revealed... but will they lead to answers, or just a really stingy case of mind-boggle? I've never been any good at that game. I always just make up words to try and score lots of points. That's not wrong, is it?

--

Giles awoke with a start and had to shield his eyes from the blazing sun. He groaned loudly, feeling hungover and groggy. He closed his eyes again and dropped his hands to his side. The soft, unresistant impact forced his eyes open again and he regretted it. He snapped them closed before testing the ground beneath him. He clutched a hand and pulled up what felt like sand.

How had he made it into the desert? How long had he been out? The last thing he remembered was finishing dinner in Buffy's dining room. After that, it was all blank. His mind started working, going over what had happened and how it could have led to this.

His first suspicion was that their food had been drugged. This meant someone had gotten to it after it was cooked but before it was eaten. Either someone had infiltrated the house and managed to replace one of their rank, or one of their own had done it. He feared that it may or may not have been via coercion.

He temporarily dismissed the why and the how of last night's events and instead began to focus on his surroundings. It wouldn't do him much good to discover the identity of any potential turncoats if he himself didn't make it out of this desert alive. He forced his eyes open again, averting them from the still glaring sunshine, and almost had to roll his eyes.

About three feet away, a worn wooden frame lay between the ample sand and an abundant grassy park. He sat up as he continued to look around and saw he had risen just slightly before Hermione, who lay almost mirrored from his feet in the sand.

They looked at each other for a moment, before opening their mouths at the same time. Whatever they said was lost as they both spoke simultaneously. A dry chuckle escaped both their throats, before Hermione nodded to him to speak first.

Giles obliged, "I, uh, don't suppose you have the foggiest idea where we are?"

Hermione sighed, "Not a bloody clue." She didn't even seem embarrassed for her language.

"I was afraid of that." He climbed to his feet and offered her a hand up, which she gratefully took. They then both further examined the sandbox they stood in, as well as the park in which it resided. They could now see various playground equipment, including a jungle gym and a swing set with three empty swings.

"Do you know who might have spiked our food?" Hermione pondered as they began to explore the park.

Giles again chuckled dryly, "I don't figure it matters all that much at the moment. I think it's a bit more pressing to figure out where the bloody hell we are." He didn't mean it to sound as snappish as it came out.

Hermione's eyes fell to the ground, "Oh, oh, of course."

Giles sighed, "I apologize, Hermione, but we do need to figure out what's going on."

They suddenly heard a rusty noise and spun to look behind them. There was nothing amiss but two of the swings were swaying slightly. This was strange as there was no breeze in the air to speak of. Hermione instinctively reached for her wand to find it was missing. She rushed back to the sandbox and began running her hands through it in hopes of finding it.

Giles silently got down to help her, but expressed, "I do believe they'd have thought to disarm us before leaving us... uh, here." He suddenly began pulling all sorts of weapons, such as knives and guns, out of the sand which appeared to be a little deeper than initially thought. Upon further inspection the weapons were quite obviously only toys, made of plastic or wood. Giles griped, "Well, now, that's just not funny."

They were startled when they heard childish laughter coming from nowhere. Despite only being toys, they each grabbed something from the sand to defend themselves. The laughter did not continue. Hermione examined the plastic knife in her hands, "This is most peculiar."

Giles agreed, "Yes, quite surreal." A light started to go off in his eyes, but the sound of running footsteps drew his focus away from the matter.

This time, the the rusty sound of the swings was not accompanied by empty swaying. Two robed figures now sat in them, and did their best to get more and more height with each swing. They sat on the two outermost swings, leaving the one in the middle between them. Each figure had the hoods up on their dark robes.

Hermione and Giles approached cautiously, still brandishing their toys. They exchanged a look, and Hermione opened her mouth to say something to get their attention. Just as her voice was about to form, one of the figures' hoods fell back away to reveal their identity, "Ron?!"

He just grinned, his eyes glued straight ahead. He was getting some serious height on his swing, even beating out the other person. Hermione was suddenly furious, wondering just what Ron was doing involved in all of this. She started to step towards him, but Giles grabbed her arm. The look in his eyes told her to stop.

When she looked back, she saw that the hood of the other swinger had dropped back as well, and she gasped at the sight. There was no longer an empty swing between them, as Ronald Weasley had moved over one swing and was happily swinging in time with none other than Draco Malfoy, who looked just as pleased. She nearly fainted.

Giles steadied her, and beheld the sight himself. He could never say he'd met either of them personally, just like with Hermione before this all began, but it would take an utter fool not to recognize both Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy swinging together like the best of chums.

From what he was aware of, the Malfoy and Weasley families held a rivalry that went back generations, so this particular sight was all the more surreal. Once again a look crossed Giles' face as if understanding was dawning, but it was again interrupted.

"Hermione! Giles! Look!" Ron exclaimed cheerfully. He kicked with all his might, and both he and Draco performed an impressive looking three-sixty on the swing set, just as if they'd had rockets strapped to them. He looked to Hermione with a wide, distorted grin, "Wouldn't Harry be proud? Draco is teaching me to play Seeker!"

As Hermione sank to her knees, both men suddenly took flying leaps from the swing, arching up over their heads and landing in the center of the sandbox behind them. Giles gingerly hoisted Hermione to her feet, putting a supporting arm around her. His mind had begun working, and he was determined not to let himself be distracted again.

Hermione watched the boys leaning into each other and whispering, and she longed to be able to hear what was said. She was desperate for some sort of explanation for the lack of animosity between the two. The two parted abruptly, and looked again towards them, but their eyes seemed to look past them.

Ron began gesturing wildly for them to come, and Hermione almost did, but Giles kept a firm hold on her. He knew something about this wasn't right. They were both surprised when a head of long red hair came rushing past them from behind, and they both exclaimed at the same time.

"Willow?"

"Ginny?"

And now Ron and Draco were ignoring them, far more interested in their newest playmate. Hermione and Giles quickly saw that it was, in fact, Ginny who didn't seem the slightest bit surprised that the two young men were playing well together. In fact, she seemed to be just as enthused to be playing along with them.

"We should play a game!" Ron declared.

Draco got a disturbingly distorted grin across his face, "I know! We can play Hide and Seek!"

Ron looked pleased, "Brilliant!" He looked back at Draco, "Who should hide first?" Without a real answer, they both looked directly at Ginny, who still hadn't said a word. She looked absolutely thrilled to be chosen. Both boys covered their eyes and began counting as Ginny ran off again.

After reaching five, Draco stopped counting and looked directly at them, "You aren't allowed to play." They immediately felt that they couldn't move their feet, so following Ginny wasn't an option.

Ron finished the counting, loudly proclaiming, "Ten!"

Both boys looked around wildly for a few moments, neither taking a single step from their position. All of the sudden, Draco announced, "Let's play a different game!"

Ron was still looking around for Ginny, but finally agreed. They both plopped back down in the sand and Draco produced a deck of cards from his pocket. A rousing game of Exploding Snap broke out, but Ron lifted his head from time to time, apparently still looking for Ginny.

Hermione and Giles were suddenly thrown off their feet as the deck of cards the boys were holding exploded violently, and everything went black again.

Hermione coughed loudly as she pulled in a lungful of smoke. She opened her eyes and saw she was surrounded by it. No longer was there a blistering sun overhead, it was replaced by dingy, moldy brickwork that formed some sort of hallway. A coughing groan nearby set her on alarm, but as Giles sat up from the hazy fog she let out a sigh of relief.

They looked at each other again and their confusion was definitely shared. Hermione didn't wait for Giles to offer her a hand up, reaching for the nearest wall and using it to pull herself to her feet. The walls were vaguely familiar, but that thought wasn't at the forefront of her mind. She was still reeling from seeing Ron and Draco working together, and watching them abandon Ginny to play some game.

"The dungeons?" Giles inquired to no one in particular. It brought Hermione out of her daze, and she looked around. He was right, they were in a hallway in the dungeons of Hogwarts. Now she was even more confused. How had they ended up here?

Giles once again looked contemplative, and almost felt he could speak on what his mind was pondering. Hermione saw his look, and began to run things through her mind as well. Things were just a bit too surreal.

A wind blew through the dungeon, and they saw the smoky fog at their feet flowing off down the hall. They shared a look and it was silently decided that they should follow it. It would lead them to answers.

So they began traveling, always just behind the edge of the smoke, taking turns as it wound through the moldy stone corridors. After what seemed like an endless journey, the fog took a sharp twist into the open doorway of a classroom.

Hermione immediately recognized what room it was, and fear crept up her spine. She didn't quite feel ready for what lay inside the doorway. Giles, on the other hand, felt much more confident having been removed from the foreboding of the dreary hallways a number of years. He looked back at her reassuringly and gently pulled her behind him by the wrist.

The smoke filled the Potions classroom, just as it did the hall, but sat much lower, allowing them to see the lack of work tables and stools. Only one thing resided in the room, on a raised platform. A gigantic cauldron, filled to the brim, was billowing the fog out into the room. And on a stool behind it, a figure dressed in a black cloak sat stirring its contents.

The individual's hood was lowered, making it impossible to determine their identity. Several names ran across Hermione's mind, but only one escaped her lips in a barely audible whisper, "Snape."

A hollow laugh came from behind the hood, but it most definitely wasn't Snape's voice, "Not quite." Giles, however, tensed with recognition. With one hand still stirring the cauldron, the man pulled at his hood until it rested about his neck.

His eyes never lifted from the simmering cauldron, giving the impression that his outburst of had nothing to do with Hermione's. Sitting there, erupting in laughter from time to time, was an old friend that Giles wished he would never have the displeasure of seeing again. Ethan Rayne was grinning like a madman, obviously enjoying what he was doing.

Without warning, his eyes snapped upwards to observe them. He seemed to grin even wider, a feat that no human should have been able to do, and announced, "I _live_ for this sort of thing!" He simultaneously gestured towards the cauldron before him.

Not realizing they were suddenly right beside the cauldron or considering the potential consequences, both Hermione and Giles leaned in to see what the cauldron held. It was filled with a silvery substance, not unlike a mirror. However, the reflection it gave off was not that of their current surroundings. A series of images flashed across it, and left them puzzled.

The first image they could make out was Tara, hair blowing in a breeze, with pure white eyes and a pained grimace on her features. Willow was trying to reach her but seemed to be held back by some unseen force. Tara's eyes suddenly snapped back to their normal color, but she looked confused about her surroundings and Willow.

The picture faded out, and they then saw Xander running after someone, waving his arms to gain their attention. He was abruptly blindsided by a punch from a disembodied hand, starting an awkward confrontation which saw the hand just manage to grasp Xander around the throat and begin to glow, before the image dissolved again.

It then showed the lot of them performing some sort of choreographed dance routine that involved an alarming number of athletic maneuvers. It broke off just as Xander began belting out, albeit without any sound for them, some sort of power ballad. Both Giles and Hermione exchanged a peculiar look at that visual.

The scene faded once more and showed Buffy standing guard over a glowing orb. After a moment, Buffy traded off guardianship to Giles, who then traded off to Willow, and so on. Anything that dared draw close to the object was quickly dispatched with a ruthless efficiency by the protector of the moment. During Xander's 'shift' an inky blackness swept into the scene.

The shadowy form blew right past everything else, turning the silvery mirror surface pitch black, before a pair of coal black hands burst out and reached for them. They reacted just in time, avoiding the inky grip by inches.

Ethan was no longer behind the cauldron, stirring it diligently. He had moved to another part of the room, with an enormous and intricately designed structure built from what appeared to be cards one would get with the wizarding candy, chocolate frogs. Ethan was now gently placing new ones to expand the structure, and for the first time since entering the Potions classroom, they saw an uncertain look on his face.

He was regarding his work with an dubious expression, and suddenly called out, "Ripper, do you think you could help me with this? It's almost dawn, and I'm not quite sure how to handle this anymore."

Giles cautiously stepped forward, reaching a hand out towards the cards, before stopping abruptly. The look of realization that crossed his face was striking, and he knew this time nothing could stop it. He turned on his heel to face Hermione, and declared, "I believe I know what's going on..." Hermione seemed to be right there with him, by the look in her own eyes.

Any further discussion was halted as the house of cards, now distinctly looking like a replica of Hogwarts, exploded outward with an unexpected force. They were thrown to the walls of the room unceremoniously and were once again cast into unconsciousness.


	32. What Dreams May Come: Part 4

**Chapter Thirty-Two: What Dreams May Come – Part 4: The Hand Is Dealt**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: Is there anybody left, or have I chased you all away with these wacky chapters? The feedback I've received has told me this little experiment hasn't quite been the success I was hoping for. It's almost over, I promise. Oh well, I'll have plenty of time to try and make up for it... I hope.

–

Buffy awoke with a start to find herself drenched by a pouring rain. The sky above was dark and overcast, emptying it's fill across the landscape. She sprung to her feet and attempted to get an idea of her location. It was no easy task, as the rain fell so thickly that she was unable to see more than a foot or two ahead of herself, but she took off running nonetheless.

She had to slam on her 'brakes' abruptly as a wall came out of nowhere in front of her. She just managed to avoid running full force into it. She looked at the wall and saw that it had no immediate end nearby. It ran about the height of her shoulders, and above that had intricately designed wrought iron fencing . The designs ranged from crosses and cauldrons, to flames and grinning smiles full of razor sharp teeth.

She reached out to grab onto the fencing, in hopes of pulling herself up, when it shocked her. It began buzzing with electricity and she quickly realized grabbing at it again would be a seriously bad idea. As if in response to her predicament, the rain began letting up.

Her surroundings started to emerge from the torrent, and it didn't take her long to recognize the fact that she was standing in a grim and dank graveyard. The crypts and grave markers seemed to pop up out of the ground like they were spring loaded.

She looked out across the gloom to evaluate her position. The layout of this place was not familiar to her. She had been in her share of cemeteries, but this was not one of them. In the middle of her scan she saw, another drenched figure trying to clamber up a gravestone. She reached in her pocket for a stake to find she had nothing. Whoever had brought her here had known enough to disarm her.

She looked around her immediate area looking for something, anything, that she could turn into a weapon. There was nothing even remotely usable. She was going to have to fight this hand to hand.

"Buffy?" She took a defensive stance despite the fact that she recognized the voice. The voice startled her, as did the person shambling in her direction. It was Harry. He was limping heavily, his left leg dragging behind him.

At first glance one could assume he was a zombie right out of the movies. That first impression would ignore the fact that he looked perfectly healthy and full of color. Plus, he was talking. Okay, that didn't exactly excuse him from the zombie category because she'd encountered talkative corpses more times than she could count, but it certainly gave him a little credit.

"Are you dead?" Buffy asked as if it was a valid question.

He stopped and looked at her, then at himself, "What? Do I look dead?"

She kept her defensive stance, "I've seen people who looked in better shape than you do right now who have been just as 'dead' as the people buried here. Please humor me."

He regarded her for a moment, "I'm not dead, at least I don't think so. That stupid rain made it impossible to see and I ran headlong into a headstone back there. Just got a bit of dead leg, excuse the pun."

Buffy looked skeptical, so she decided to use an oft overlooked skill Giles had tried to teach her during the first few months he knew him. She closed her eyes, only half-way, and stretched her Slayer senses outwards to really take in her environment.

The graves and crypts around her felt hollow, like there was really nothing in them. No bodies and no ghouls either. It was odd, though not out of the ordinary, for her anyway. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were fake, though.

Something that wasn't fake, however, was the man standing before her. He felt every bit as real as she did, and her senses detected no trace of death or anything else that might force her to slay him. He really was alive, but she was going to keep her distance just the same, "All right, you check out."

Harry sighed as he continued to rub his leg, "Thank goodness, I really wasn't looking forward to being undead." He saw that she was still being cautious, but understood, "So, any idea who knocked us out?"

She shook her head, "Whoever it was, they knew what they were doing. And we're not in any graveyard I've ever been to before. That's not a good thing."

Harry looked disappointed, "Well, if it's any consolation, I don't remember ever being here before either."

Buffy just stared at him, unamused, "It's not, really." Harry shut his mouth then and looked up to the sky. The rain had stopped, and the horizon was beginning to brighten, tinging the clouds a reddish gray.

The ground beneath them rumbled, causing them both to hunch down to remain balanced. A few loose chunks of stone fell from a couple of nearby crypts. Without any sort of preamble, the graves and crypts began rattling hollowly.

Harry had barely enough time to jump out of the way as the grave marker he'd used to climb to his feet began sliding through the ground like some sort of land shark, slicing right past the spot he'd been standing. The other gravestones followed suit, circling them like predators on a caffeine-fueled prowl.

The crypts, too, began to move, lumbering around the outside of the circle. Buffy's Slayer senses were still not registering anything really happening around her. Harry was still the only presence on her radar.

With an almighty crash, every stone surface in motion collided in front of them, spraying rubble in every direction. They ducked together, coming within each other's personal space for the first time since waking up.

As the dust settled they dared to open their eyes and were startled to find no catastrophic mess lay about them. It was as if the collision had never happened. However, that wasn't to say things were as they were before.

The graveyard had rearranged itself, and it was Harry who recognized it first. Replacing the markers and crypts were now rows upon rows of shelves, each filled as high as they could see with small glass orbs. The orbs seemed to glow with their own light, and a murky smoke circulated in their depths.

Another light altogether was coming from several rows down, more powerful than the ambient light given off by the globes around them. Cautiously they made their way over towards it. Standing at the intersection of rows twenty-one and thirteen were two cloaked figures, each gazing into a single orb which floated between them.

Buffy once again struck a defensive pose, and Harry reached for his wand. It was rather alarming to see two of your most hated enemies standing side by side, even if they were transfixed on a small glass ball. There they were, however, Lord Voldemort and The Master blindly looking at whatever was playing out in the sphere. From here it only looked like a wisp of smoke rolling around.

The two nemesis' took notice of their presence and motioned them over without the slightest hint of animosity in their faces. Responding to an urge neither can explain, they felt compelled to act and were soon standing beside two people they hated without question.

They gazed into the orb with sick curiosity, much like the two men beside them had been, and witnessed a sight they were not expecting. Inside the globe was was a woman with thick, matted hair wearing animal hides to cover her body, who fought hand-to-hand with a beast of unimaginable horror.

She fought with an intensity only Buffy could truly understand, until she struck a deadly blow to the creature using a jagged tree branch. As soon as the creature had died, she rushed off towards the next demon in her path. The fight was never-ending and both could sense it was staggeringly lonely as well.

The scene ended and both Voldemort and the Master stepped back, the glass sphere dropping and shattering on the ground. As they stepped away, they stepped into each other's paths and suddenly merged together into an amorphous mass of black shadow. It spoke to them in a voice Buffy recognized as that of Principal Snyder, "You think you know what's to come? You haven't even begun."

"It's a shame that I never got to tell you how happy I am that you were eaten by a giant snake," Buffy quipped solemnly.

The mass then sunk into the ground, right before a shock wave knocked over the nearest row of prophecies sending it into the next, causing a domino effect that sent the Buffy and Harry ducking for protection again.

When the noise finally ended, they looked up. Again, no catastrophic mess was left behind, and they were once again left in an apparently abandoned area. Buffy had nothing she could really say that would explain what was going on, "This is messed up."

"You think?" Harry replied wryly. The ground before them began bubbling, as if it had liquefied and was now coming to a boil. Neither one dared test out its solidity, and nor did they have to as an object rose up from the muck.

The structure seemed to pull the ground with it as it lifted up, and when it finally stopped, the muck slid down it's form and back into place. The ground again looked as if nothing had happened.

A flood of nightmares rushed through Harry's mind, and Buffy somehow managed to catch a few of the images. A dug up grave, a bolt of green flying through the air, a bubbling cauldron, and a skeletal figure rising from the muck. Standing before them now was a stone memorial dedicated to the _noble_ family of Riddle.

Harry couldn't find the strength to stand. Buffy, on the other hand, climbed to her feet and began looking the monument over. It seemed just as empty as everything else did here. She turned to say something to Harry, only to notice his glassy-eyed look, "What is it, Harry?"

No words formed, and he knew that none would come. His hand came up and gave a lame gesture back to the elegant grave marker. She looked at it and read the name in her head. _Tom Marvolo Riddle_. Before her eyes the letters written in stone began to rearrange themselves. _I Am Lord Voldemort_.

All around them, headstones began popping up out of the dirt. They lingered just long enough for them to get a brief look at the names chiseled into them. _Albus Dumbledore. Jesse McNally. Sirius Black. Jenny Calender. Cedric Diggory._ The names flew by faster after that, not giving them the opportunity to catch who they belonged to. The effect was the same, though, as they both paled as they were faced with the people who had died on their watch.

After the names stopped, the graveyard was once again filled. There was only a little bit of room in front of them, but it didn't last long. Four new stones popped up, all in a row. They featured no names that they could see, just blank granite faces. As soon as the thought passed their mind over who they could be for, the words began writing out by an invisible chisel.

The names _Rupert Giles_, _Hermione Granger, Xander Harris_, and _Neville Longbottom_ stamped themselves out, along with the date. They both uttered a strangled cry, realizing they'd led to the deaths of more of their friends. It wasn't enough that they saw the grave markers, but they were then able to see beneath the earth at their friends stricken and terrified expressions.

Suddenly, the headstones and graves all dropped back into the ground, save for two which slid up to either side of the Riddle memorial. The monument itself began cracking, a large fissure developing right up the middle.

Buffy stepped back as it crumbled to pieces as they watched. Buffy exchanged a look with Harry, but before she could say anything, she was abruptly thrust backwards, colliding with Harry as they were both thrown a good distance away from the thrown.

Harry, who seemed to have snapped out of his daze after the grave marker disintegrated, mumbled, "After all I've been through, you would think I'd be used to getting thrown around a lot."

Buffy actually laughed, albeit hollowly, "Believe me, you never really get over it."

When they finally looked back up, they both had to bite their tongues not to scream. A figure was sitting on the pile of rock left behind by the crumbled monument, and they both feared the worst. The figure was bound and seemed to be sedated as they did not struggle to get free.

The head of long, flowing red hair had both of them itching to move. It hung down in front of her face and made it impossible to identify her, but it was most certainly either Willow or Ginny. The two gravestones on either side now clearly read: _Willow Rosenberg_ and _Ginevra Weasley_.

They didn't wait another moment before they started moving to free her, whoever she was. An invisible force field stopped them in their tracks and threw them back to the ground.

Then, to their further horror, the ground in front of the rubble pushing up from underneath. Fingers began breaking through, clawing at the dirt around it. Hands, arms, and the like followed suit, until a head of stark blonde hair shot up from the hole that was forming.

Harry was both stunned and seething at the familiar hair color, "Malfoy?"

Buffy, however, knew it was no one named Malfoy climbing up from the earth, "Spike!"

However, the vampire made no indication that he had heard her. He was more interested in the the redhead he had spied sitting all alone. His vampiric features emerged and he licked his lips, "My, my, what have we hear? Tasty lookin' morsel." He inched his way forward.

Harry suddenly had his wand out and yelled, "Stupefy!" Nothing whatsoever happened. This made Spike laugh again, and Buffy was quickly getting tired of his existence all over again.

"Your hocus pocus has no power here." He said cryptically, without turning away from his target. He returned to stalking his new prey, not seeming to be bothered that she wasn't putting up a fight, "I'll bet she's sweet, the sweetest there is... yes, she's ripe for the picking, and I fancy myself the farmer."

Harry made a lunge toward them but was thrown back by the forcefield.

Buffy's focus was oddly not on the scene before her. There was still no feeling of reality in anything other than Harry, and the thought wouldn't stop bugging her. She looked to the sky and saw that the clouds were nearly cleared out. The dawn was breaking as the sun began peeking over the edge of the horizon, and Buffy willed it to move faster. The answer was there, she could feel it.

Spike finally slinking up behind the girl, and Harry looked at Buffy incredulously, "Why aren't you doing anything? He's going to kill her!" Spike leaned back, preparing to strike.

Like a sledgehammer, a voice was in her mind. She threw her hands to her temples and let out a blood curdling scream. She recognized the voice, and all at once the clouds vanished and the sun lept high into the sky.

Just as Spike dove in for the redhead's now exposed throat, Buffy whispered the words, "This isn't real." And everything went black.


	33. The Sum Of All Fears

**Chapter Thirty-Three: The Sum Of All Fears**

Disclaimer: I don't own characters from Buffy or Harry Potter. Until the day I can con both Joss Whedon and JK Rowling into a poker game with their properties as the stakes, and even then I'd probably lose my ass. I suck at bluffing. The big stupid grin on my face always gives away my best hands.

Spoilers: Harry Potter through the end of Deathly Hallows, but set before the epilogue; Buffy starting near the end of the Season 4 episode 'The Harsh Light Of Day'

Feedback: Yes, please. Anything you can tell me will be appreciated, even if I'm too introverted to always respond. If you've got any questions about stuff I write in here, like names or what something may mean, feel free to ask in a review or in an email. I'll be happy to answer, within reason. Can't go giving away some of my secrets now, can I?

Author's Note: With this chapter, we are all done here. This story was nominated in the 2008 Crossing Over Awards as an **Best Unfinished Crossover (Harry Potter)** at TTH Fanfic and came in Third Place. Yay me.

Author's Note B: I want to make sure and give a shout out to everyone who has given me feedback for this story, both positive and negative. You've all had a hand in shaping this story, whether sparking an idea for a chapter, correcting an error I made along the way, or simply inspiring me to keep going. After essentially coming out of "retirement" it's very cool to see my first work back getting such a reaction.

Author's Note C: The first chapter of Overcoming Evil has been posted. It will go into more detail about Xander's education at Hogwarts and other adventures around England. Much of the story has yet to be actually typed out, so updates will come more slowly than the ones for Accidentally Magical did.

–

Buffy awoke with a start, finding herself laid out in her mother's living room. She sat straight up and found herself staring across the foyer and into the dining room. Seated around the dining table were all of her friends with their heads laying down on the table, and she realized she could see herself there as well. That meant she wasn't quite out of the woods yet.

She got to her feet and walked into the foyer. She saw Luna poking Neville repeatedly, as if such an act would wake him up from a mystical sleep. She looked to her left and saw Riley and her mother frantically trying to figure out what to do. Neither of them had much education in the magical mishap department and she didn't blame them for their panic.

Tara, who had been perched near Willow's unconscious form, turned to them and said something that Buffy couldn't quite make out. Before waiting for further discussion, Riley made a break for the door and left it wide open behind him. Joyce and Tara exchanged a look before Buffy's mother went over and closed the door.

Without warning, Buffy was tackled from behind. Her instincts kicked in and she began trying to fight back, only to find her enemy was simply a mass of shadow and her attacks slid right through it. On the other hand, it's own attacks were very effective. Just prior to making contact the darkness solidified into an arm or a leg, before dissolving again.

She was thrashed about her former home, destroying a table and a chair in the process. She could see the sky darkening outside and knew it would consume everything if she couldn't find a way to fight back.

She became frustrated at her inability to fight back against the shadow. Suddenly, Harry was nearby brandishing his wand. He tried firing a spell at the mass of black, but nothing happened. He briefly locked eyes with Buffy before trying again.

He pointed his wand, unsure of what spell he was hoping to fire, but the bright white burst that spread from the tip did _something_. The air in the room felt charged.

A punch came arching towards her head, and she threw up a block. Then another, and another, and another. She snapped her open fist forward and made contact with the shadow, and it was driven back. Caught off-guard, it's form began to coalesce until it was solid. The figure which stood before her now was like something out of they year 10,000 BC. A lithe black woman, clothed in rags and sporting a tangled mess of dreadlocks on her head, stared at Buffy with a feral animosity.

"Who are you?" Buffy demanded.

The woman did not move her lips, but a voice sounded just the same. It was just as animalistic as the woman looked, "I have no name. I live only in the action of death, the blood cry, the penetrating wound." She flexed proudly, "I am destruction. Absolute... alone."

Buffy spoke in realization, "The Slayer."

"The First." She responded.

Buffy stared at her, looking just as defiant, "I am not alone."

The First Slayer shook her head, "The Slayer does not walk in this world."

Buffy never broke eye contact, "I walk. I talk. I shop. I sneeze." She took a rebellious step forward, "Fighting everything all by yourself might have been the way back then, but it's almost the new millennium. Things have changed." She took another step, "Now leave me and my friends alone."

The Slayer followed suit, coming to stand before her, "No friends! Just the kill!" She growled, "We... are... _alone_!"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "That's it, I'm waking up." She closed her eyes and tried to will herself to wake up. While she was distracted, the Slayer struck, tackling Buffy to the floor. Buffy suddenly felt her heart warm unlike anything she'd felt before, as the consciousness of all her friends rushed in to join her. The First Slayer straddled her and struck repeatedly with a stake conjured from thin air.

After several strikes, Buffy knew that the Slayer held no power over her while her friends were with her. She rolled her eyes again at the reckless attacking of the Slayer, "Are you _quite_ finished?" The Slayer stopped and looked at her, confused as to why she was not able to end this girl.

Buffy looked at her somewhat sympathetically, "It's over, okay? I'm going to ignore you and you're going to go away."

The First Slayer stood up and backed away from Buffy, the signs of fear clearly developing on her features. Buffy gave her on last defiant look, "You're _not_ the source of me."

With a start, everyone sitting around the dining table lifted their heads and nearly tipped backwards in their chairs. They were all gasping for breath and looked wildly around at each other.

Xander was the first to speak, "Okay, that definitely wasn't in the brochure."

Ginny looked pale, "What the _bloody hell_ just happened?"

Willow shared a look with Buffy, Giles, and Xander, "The First Slayer. Wow."

"Not big with the socialization." Xander groused.

Giles looked thoughtful, "Somehow our joining with... Buffy and... invoking the essence of the Slayer's powers was an affront to the source of that power."

Buffy glared at him, "You know, you could have brought that up to us _before_ we did it."

"I did!" He declared defensively, "I said there could be dire consequences."

Xander raised an eyebrow, "Mione, do you have your pensieve handy? Because I'm pretty sure I don't remember those words coming from Giles... at least not since we arrived here."

Giles blanched before glaring at Xander, "Well... it... it was implied."

The front door suddenly burst open, letting in Riley Finn pulling a harassed looking woman behind him, "Look, they're in here... you've got to... help." He stopped abruptly, and she collided with him as they both saw that Buffy and friends were quite awake.

The woman looked really annoyed, even slapping Riley on the shoulder, "They look just fine, you loon! Stay the heck away from me!" She paused as she looked at them, "Um, hello Willow... Tara." She waved briefly then took off back out the door.

Riley paid no attention, "You're awake!"

Buffy looked at him with a bit of humor, "You're a kidnapper."

Riley blinked, "I didn't know what to do! So Tara said we should go get the magic shop owner... she'd know the stuff we didn't." He looked very confused, "Why are you awake?"

Xander had to fight not to roll his eyes, before responding, "Would you like us to go back to sleep? Because I can pretty much guarantee a unanimous '_hell no_' from our little circle here."

Buffy hissed at Xander before stepping towards Riley, "It's okay, Riley. We just had a little encounter with the spirit of the First Slayer... nothing we couldn't handle..." She looked back at them fondly, "Together."

Xander had made his way over to Hermione and clutched at her. He had to restrain himself from doing a very public display of affection and contented himself to have her close. He sighed as he met her eyes, "I'm starting to think about maybe not answering the next time these guys call." She slapped his arm to indicate not even to joke about that.

"I believe someone owes an explanation to the people who've never encountered this First Slayer before..." Harry asked.

Willow responded, "Well, this was kinda our first encounter with it too... normally the only slayer we deal with is Buffy... or Faith. There was also Kendra." The last name was said rather sadly, as the memories associated with it were still a bit painful.

Meanwhile, in a dark corner of Knockturn Alley, two cloaked figures huddled together in the shadows. Both had their hoods drawn, wanting very much for their identities to remain a mystery. One looked decidedly nervous, while the other was calm and collected, as if quite comfortable in the dark atmosphere of the infamous district.

The calm one leaned forward and spoke in a hushed voice, "Didn't I tell you, Weasley? Didn't I say that eventually they'd abandon you? And for a stranger, no less. I've no reservations about saying _I told you so_."

Ronald Weasley suddenly began shaking in an altogether different manner, as rage surged through him, "Stuff it, Malfoy."

"Oh, you wound me Weasley. Enough chatter. My prediction has come true, just as I said it would. Now it's time for you to begin holding up your end of the bargain." He leaned in dangerously close, "To get the thing you desire, it's going to require a great sacrifice. Are you prepared for that? There's no backing out, and there's no second thoughts. Remember that."

Without another word he swept his cloak tighter around himself as he marched away, leaving Ron alone in the concealed recess, lost in his thoughts.

After recovering from the 'party' the guests all collected for their goodbyes. Hermione cornered Buffy and Willow to question them over something that had been bothering her, "Willow, Buffy... might I ask something of you?"

Buffy replied, "Sure, what is it?"

"About Xander going to Hogwarts..."

Both girls shared a smile and Willow answered, "He was right."

Hermione stopped her train of thought, "Right about what?"

Buffy elaborated, "He knew you'd want to ask us if we really supported him about transferring over there... or whether he was just doing it without telling us."

Willow smiled at Hermione kindly, "The short answer is yes. The longer answer is yes, we weren't so sure at first... but Xander is a big boy now and has the right to decide what to do with his life."

Buffy nodded, "Plus, we know we've still got his support whenever the world tries to end itself again. It's not like he's running off to live in a commune in some third world country. According to you, he's going to one of the best schools for learning about all that mojo stuff... the being closer to you is just a bonus."

Willow grinned, "It's really sweet of him, too. Before you came along, Xander would just as soon use a book as a sleeping aid as to actually read it's contents to actually learn from it. We're more than happy to know he wants to live closer to someone who makes him think a lot better of himself than he did before, and makes him want to live up to it."

Hermione looked reassured and even a bit flattered, "I'm so relieved... thank you, for being so supportive."

Both girls grabbed her in a group hug as Buffy responded, "It's what friends do."

"What do you say we blow this Popsicle stand?" Xander asked, "And because of the special lives we live, I need to clarify that I do not mean literally."

"I'm rather anxious to get home, actually..." Neville declared, looking a little nauseous, "This town gives me the creeps."

Xander smiled knowingly, "Try living here for a few years. Let's get our butts back to England. I've got a lot of hoops to jump through before I'm ready to start school at Hogwarts." Hugs went all around, and the British crew piled into the zebra-striped van for the ride back out to the edge of town.

After Giles drove away, Hermione pulled out a handkerchief and started programming it to deliver them to the visitor entrance to the Floo Hub. Xander leaned over to Neville, who he felt a little more comfortable with now after their shared dream experience, "So, Nev, is there anything special I should know about going to Hogwarts?" He eyed the portkey with remembered pain, "There isn't a lot of travel by those things, is there?"

Neville chuckled, "No, portkeys don't typically show up on Hogwarts grounds." He exchanged a look with Harry, who know very well what circumstances would bring a portkey into Hogwarts.

Hoping to change the subject and perhaps lighten the mood, Harry stepped up, "Xander, has Hermione told you much about the Sorting Ceremony?" The spirited conversation that followed left Xander with an entirely false expectation for what he would experience upon being sorted. He didn't really have to wrestle a troll, did he?

Hermione and Xander were surprised when, not long after returning to their home, a shamefaced Ronald Weasley showed up on the front step requesting the opportunity to make peace. Hermione was reluctant to let Ron anywhere near her new boyfriend, but he'd handed over his wand without a qualm and kept himself leaned against the door in a non-threatening stance.

Having had his share of blowups with his own friends, Xander urged Hermione to allow him the chance, with the promise that she'd have first dibs on revenge if he blew it.

Ron looked thoroughly uncomfortable with the whole situation, but proceeded anyway, "Look, Hermione... and, uh, Xander is it? I just wanted to come and apologize for what I did at the Christmas party. I was a prat, and did something I shouldn't have.

He looked directly at Xander with a pitiful look, "I'm sorry for stunning you. I had too much firewhiskey that night and I couldn't stop myself from acting out."

Xander suppressed the glare that threatened to come at his excuse, but he could at least understand, "I know alcohol does stuff to a person. Believe me, I do." He took a moment to think, before huffing out a breath, "We're cool, you're one of Hermione's oldest friends and I don't want a disagreement to screw that up. You just need to watch yourself around us."

Something flickered across Ron's eyes before he responded, "You shouldn't have to worry about that. I plan to make myself scarce for the next few weeks. Gonna give myself time to adjust to..." He made a weak gesture between the two of them, "I got enough of an earful from Mum to know better than trying anything like I did at Christmas again."

They parted on a handshake, where Xander pulled him close and muttered, "I gave you a chance cause you're Hermione's friend, but if you put her through anything like this again, I swear I'll make you regret it." The tone of his voice left no doubt about his sincerity. A brief look of fear crossed Ron's features while he glanced at Hermione to see if she had heard any of it. She seemed oblivious, so he shook it off and bid them farewell.

Once the door had closed, Hermione let out a breath she'd been holding from the moment she'd seen Ron on the other side of the door. "I'm suddenly overcome with the need to throw out a silly one liner... but for once I'm drawing a blank." Xander stated strangely, "The first sign of lunacy, you think?"

Hermione just smiled as she walked over to him, "Far from the first sign, dear." She looked at Xander with a hopeful expression that things would continue getting better as the future came, before kissing him soundly. It was time to cash in that rain check.

The End

Sort Of... Continued In "Overcoming Evil" which is now being posted here on the site.


End file.
